How To Avoid Ice Dams With A Vented Roof

Solving the root cause.

How to avoid ice dams with a vented roof. These roof heating cables will help to prevent ice buildup along the roof edge. The use of icynene on the attic floor to completely air seal is a good idea and should be the first step. We call this a hot roof design because failing to vent the roof from below not only misses a chance to avoid ice dam leaks and condensation damage in cold climates. In hot climates the roof temperature will be much higher on an un vented roof resulting in shorter shingle life.

In most homes this means blocking all air leaks leading to the attic from the living space below increasing the thickness of insulation on the attic floor and installing a continuous soffit and ridge vent system. Here are 4 ways to either prevent or deal with ice dams on your roof. Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. Moisture entering the home from ice dams can lead to the growth of mold and mildew.

The way to stop ice dams from forming is to keep the entire roof cold. You do that by increasing ventilation adding insulation and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof. Ice and water barrier is a type of self sealing underlayment that adheres to the roof decking and waterproofs it. These can cause respiratory problems.

Your article seams to point to insulation and venting being the most important. Air sealing first insulation second. Take immediate action to get rid of the water source clean the home environment and maintain its air quality. One of the easiest long term solutions to prevent ice dams is to minimize the impact of the warm air that contributes to ice dam formation on your roof.

Getting rid of ice dams for good is simple in principle. Run special ice dam prevention products adhesive ice and water barrier from 3 to 6 ft. Up the roof from the edge the next time you reroof fig. Venting is a minor player in ice dam prevention but is necessary for heat and moisture management.

One effective way to stop the warm air from escaping into the attic is to use a proper insulation on the attic floor. You may need to install an outdoor gfi grounded outlet if you don t have one. Preventing ice dams with electric heat cable. Improving ventilation and reducing heat sources against the inside roof surface are the best ways to prevent ice dams but if these methods aren t practical then it is possible to install electric heat cable along the edge of the roof line and gutters.

And some sections of the roof may be impossible to keep cold. Install gutter heaters gutter heaters are installed to melt ice as it moves close to the gutters.