Ice dams and icicles – not so beautiful
Ice dam formations along the edges of your home’s roof and icicles hanging from gutters and/or ceilings should never be ignored. Its beauty on the outside has roots that penetrate your home’s attic and wall structures, often causing significant damage.
There are three main things responsible for the creation of ice dams:
- Inadequate / inadequate insulation of the attic of the house
- Improper ventilation of the attic of the house
- Heat sources in the attic area
Any area between the attic and living space that is missing or has a low amount of insulation allows unwanted heat to transfer from the house to the unheated attic.
The warmer air raises the temperature of the roof deck directly above the “leak” and causes snow to melt onto the roof surface. Water running off the roof into the area along the gutters/on the soffits begins to refreeze (soffits and gutters are cooler than the rest of the roof surface because they hang over the edge of the house ), creating an accumulation of ice.
Water from melting snow and ice forms icicles; some of the water below and above the ice dam will find its way back under the tile surfaces. If your roof doesn’t have an ice and water protector installed (older roofs rarely do), the roof deck becomes soaked with water and mold eventually begins to grow on its surface. In some roof/house structure designs, water from ice dams could begin to leak into the wall cavity directly below.
If you have any heat sources in the attic of your home, such as improperly installed bathroom vents, heating ducts, gaps around attic floor penetrations, etc., you are dramatically increasing your chances of ice dam formation. .
Properly designed attic ventilation, including plenty of soffit/drip edge vents and roof vents, can remove excess heat and prevent ice dams from appearing on your roof. However, by leaving the leaks as is, you are wasting expensive energy.
Take a look at your roof after a snowfall. If you notice snow disappearing from the roof surface in certain areas, check the attic. The main problem should be directly below that spot where the snow has already melted. It may just take a little effort to find, but be very careful when evaluating the attic – don’t do it if you’re not 100% comfortable with it!
It doesn’t take a lot of snow on the roof to create serious attic conditions and outdoor ice dams. However, if you choose to ignore it, it could take a lot of effort and money to fix.
Roof and Gutter Heating Cables – Help eliminate ice dams and may be your only solution for some types of roofs. However, if your home has an accessible attic and poor attic ventilation is responsible for ice dams, correct the problem. It may not be cheaper, but it will also help keep your house cooler in the summer.
Check your attic periodically, especially during the cold and rainy season.