Ice Dam Prevention

ICE DAM PREVENTION STARTS 

IN THE ATTIC! 

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas.

ICE DAMS ARE AN INSULATION & VENTILATION ISSUE 


Ice dams can cause: 


What causes ice dams?

Nonuniform roof surface temperatures lead to ice dams! 

     This occurs when the temperature of the upper portion of the roof rises due to heat escaping from the living space of the home and rising to the top of the attic. This heat will warm the roof boards and prematurely melt the snow. The melted snow flows down to the overhang where it refreezes and builds up, creating an ice dam. The dam grows as it is fed by the melting snow above it, but will limit itself to the lower, cooler portions of the roof that stay below 32F. The water, unable to flow freely off the roof, backs up behind the ice dam, rests on the warmer sections of the roof and remains a liquid. This water then backs up under shingles or finds any cracks or openings in the exterior roof and flows into the attic space. From the attic, it could flow into exterior walls or through the ceiling insulation and into your home.

What is the solution? 

INSULATION  & VENTILATION 

1. Add Insulation

    Attic Experts and Consumers Energy recommends attics be insulated to R60. It is important to use insulation with high R-value per inch to reduce heat loss by conduction. Convection and radiation heat transfer can also be reduced by adding insulation. This will make the top surface temperature of the insulation closer to surrounding attic temperatures directly affecting convection and radiation from this surface.

2. Proper Ventilation

     Roof ventilation can help maintain uniform roof temperatures. Proper ventilation can ensure the air space in the attic stays within a few degrees of the ambient air temperature and prevents premature warming of roof boards during the winter. Air Sealing and ensuring all warm, moist air from your home has been properly vented outside will also help remove any other heat from prematurely warming your attic. 

How to prevent Ice Dams:


EXPERIENCED AND PROFESSIONAL ICE DAM PREVENTION

Attic Experts has over 20+ years of experience in the prevention of Ice Dams. We bring that knowledge and dedication to quality to every project we perform. We are a licensed and insured, family owned and operated business, servicing the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas. As a Consumers Energy Preferred Contractor and Certified Mold Remediator, you can count on us. Let us conduct a FREE thorough inspection and detailed evaluation of your attic. We’re the one to call for your ice dam prevention!