Roof Ice and water damage

The asphalt shingles have been cracking vertically for years. I've caulked them each year, but this year the Ice dam has cracked them.

The ice also dammed up the water and made it rain in the bedroom.

I used a garden hose to wash holes in the 6 inches of ice, but I have Icicle's coming threw the sofit and down the exterior wall at one point.

I also added a fan to increase Air flow threw the attic.

Part of the problem is that the Hip roof was added on to and this has left
a 4 foot area of the sofit without any kind of vent or structural support.

Q: What can I do before spring?
There is still snow and ice on the roof.

Q: Does wood rot in the winter?

Q: What's the best way to remove the sagging hip transition?
I am currently planing on removing part of the roof boards and creating a truss similar to how I am in the rest of the roof. (The house was a garage and just has 2x4's for the roof and ceiling along with a ridge board)

Properly installed, non defective shingles don't crack like your describing as far as I know.

I am originally from New England and up there we always used Ice and Water shield on the decking before the shingles were installed.

You can find it here http://www.graceathome.com/pages/roofingprod.htm

This is about the only thing I know of that works against Ice backing up.

As far as what to do before spring...about the only thing you can do is remove it like you have been doing.

In don't think the wood will rot but if it is ply wood it may delaminate.

Several years ago, we had a super heavy snow winter and many roofs and shed were badly damaged, and many more homes had water damage from the ice dams on their eaves. Snow rakes were a hot item that winter and really help prevent dams. I use mine anytime we have several inches of snow. I can reach about 3 feet above the eaves and that prevents the dams. If you still have snow on the roof, a rake would help. You wouldn't get the ice off, but you would uncover it so any radiant heating would help get rid of it. You could also try some Ice Melt scattered on the ice. Unfortunately, there is damage that is already done and that won't go away with the spring thaw.

Several years ago, Bill, we had an ice dam. The water actually ruined the insulation in the walls. The ice also had blanketed the front of the house pulling out the mortar. The insulation also, had made its way into the furnace. The homeowners insurance really kicked in. They paid for the repointing of the brick, paid for the furnace to be cleaned and checked, and paid for all the other repairs, shingles, gutters, etc. All we had to do, was pay for the deductible.

I guess it's not so bad and should be fine till spring.

1. The roof boards are toung n grove boards so they won't de-laminate like plywood would.
2. The walls are insulated with fiberglass so I don't have to worry there.
3. It's a slab hose so the water can't do much.
4. It's a wall I am planing on gutting anyway when I replace the power panel.
5. The power panel is dry. (I pulled the cover)

As for insurance... I don't think that would be a good option.
1. I have a high deductible.
2. They came out and took pictures years ago and then complained about the pealing paint on the cedar siding.

Things like this make me feel like some of the people on that "house flipping" TV show.
Except that my time-line is in years not weeks.

There are electrical ice melting systems available (basically heat tape) that work fairly well, take caution when using snow melt (salt) it will eat your shingles making a bigger problem.
damp fiberglass wall insul. harbors mold. when you gut that wall make sure to spay framing with a anti-mold product. You can buy at most lumber retailers.
Your "space sheeting or ship lapped roof sheeting should be inspected from the attic, it can and will decay thoughout the winter, however it speeds up in the correct conditions like summer and a already water-soaked board will decay faster. Don't be too alarmed though there are and it sounds like your on the correct path to fix these problems. A cooler attic will help but not prevent ice dams. Look at your soffit vents (if you have them) if there the "heat register" looking kind, there is a screen on the top side that gets plugged with dust, take a air hose and blow them out. If it aluminum vented soffit then look at how the heat gets out of the attic, possible ridge vent or louver vents. I have seen ridge vent applied over a roof that didn't have any sheeting cut away to allow venting, you also should be able to see that from the attic. Be carefull though some ridge vent has a fiberglass cloth on the botttom to stop bugs from coming in, so don't just start cutting away because it may look like roofing felt paper that was not removed from the ridge before the cap was applied.

Asphalt shingles that are cracked is a sign they are way past replacement time.

While not an inexpensive fix, some of the metal roof materials, say something like a wood shake simulation, can resolve the problem you have. They have in the order of a 1/2-3/4" air gap under them, are much lighter than asphalt, and help in the summer too, by reflecting nearly 95% of the incoming radiant heat from the sun...the roof deck stays much cooler, therefore the attic, and therefore the rooms below. These are a lifetime roof...should never need replacing long past your lifetime.

The problems are more than likely because the attic is not properly VENTILATED. it must have a sufficient amount of entry air (soffets) and also a sufficient amount of exit air (ridge vent)

That's one of the beauties of the metal roofs that have a profile...they create an airspace over the entire roof and can overcome many of the problems of a poorly designed attic ventilation system.

The biggest problem is that there aren't any soffets vents on that side yet.
I added vents to the other side, but not that side.

I also need to replace the shingles and add a ridge vent.

For now I have a fan in the attic to force air out the center roof vent and I pulled some of the soffet panels down.

I would like to go with a metal roof, but I can't figure out how to deal with the ridge since it's a hip style roof. There is also the cost...

You'd be surprised at what's out there to handle nearly any situation. I read one independent test of an aluminum roof (coated) that was evaluated after 50+ years, and the lab's estimate was it had 1800+ more years before it wore out! Like I said, a lifetime roof. By reflecting most of the radiant heat, attic ventilation becomes much less of an issue. Still need some to ensure moisture control inside, but...

The biggest reason for ice dams is heat leaking from inside the house, second poor ventilation not being able to remove what does come up. The goal is to keep the roof deck at ambient. Lots of air movement in the attic under the roof deck also has an impact on the rooms below. If you pick the right style metal roof, you get a significant amount of air that can flow, but on top of the deck, below the snow load. The better ones actually use hooks to retain the snow over pedestrian areas, so it doesn't just dump on them after someone slams a door, or from solar heating. Ever kicked a tree as you walked by to dump the snow or rain load on those behind you? That's to be avoided, and the hooks, strategically placed do that. There's a lot to engineer and install one right.

rest assured that you not alone. My new home yet still unfinished (no heat, no gutters) has approx a ice dam in the valleys of 8" with 4-6" of insulating snow on top. When you do re-roof, do yourself a favor and apply "Snow & ice sheild" a self adhesive 90# roofing felt. If you have uncommonly large overhangs like over 24" then apply a second row snow and ice shield. The idea is to have AT LEAST 12" of this product beyound the face of the exterior wall, the more the better. It's not that it will prevent ice damming, it just will help prevent the leak from ice damming. The idea of 12" is on a 24" overhang you will have 24" of cold area, the soffit area, snow and ice shield is made in 36" widths so that you'll protect the transition between the cold soffit area and the warmer attic area. And I don't care what anyone has to say, the only way to have the attic insulated sufficatily at the exterior wall would be to have a 13" heal height which you just don't have. Energy heal trusses are commonly only 7.5" tall so there is no way to get enough insul there. Although if you could get a 13" heel height then you could put R-38 fiberglass insul. in there and acheive adequite attic insulation. period