Ice damming and freeze-thaw
The single biggest threat to a Dearborn roof is ice damming at the eaves. When snow melts off a warm attic, refreezes at the colder eave, and backs water up under the shingles, you get leaks in your ceiling. Dearborn’s housing stock skews older. Many homes in East Dearborn and the Cherry Hill corridor were built between the 1940s and 1960s with minimal attic ventilation and no modern ice protection at the eaves. Two things prevent ice dams: ice and water shield extending at least 24 inches inside the heated wall line (Michigan code minimum), and properly balanced attic ventilation. If you’ve had repeat leaks near the eaves, ask us to inspect both.
