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An example of serious ice dams. These will create expensive damage to your home.  

An example of serious ice dams. These will create expensive damage to your home.  

Ice Dams

Tiffany Kriesel January 11, 2017

Ice Dams

Four things are required for an ice dams to form:

  •  Snow
  •  Heat loss in your home
  •  Below freezing temperatures
  •  Poor attic circulation

Why it happens:  Snow melts on the roof from heat loss in the home and ice forms on the roof.  Imagine an icicle; water drips and freezes repeatedly and then gradually grows. The same happens on a home, the snow melts from heat loss and runs down the roof until it hits the outer portion of the roof that is the ambient outside temperature.  The water freezes.  It creates a band along the colder roof perimeter or an “ice dam”.  Water pooling and freezing against the dam allows the ice to defy gravity.  It will work its way up the roof getting beneath roof coverings and causing damage and leaks all along the way.

What to do.

Be proactive and attack the source of the problem: heat loss and lack of circulation.  The warm air escapes and heats parts of the home not meant to be heated: the attic and roof deck.  Proper insulating stops heat loss.  Most homes are designed to have a cold attic. Proper attic ventilation keeps a cold attic cold.  A working ventilation uses the soffit or eaves as the intake and roof/gable vents as the exhaust. This works in the summer to remove heat buildup and in the winter it can prevent ice dams with the same circulation. Heat loss is circulated throughout, exhausted and not allowed to accumulate and heat "spots" causing dams. 

  • Vent knee wall attics
  • Insulate per Minnesota Code at R-49 or 14"
  • Cold attics are meant to be the same as outside temperature 
  • Make sure your attic ventilation works right. More vents does not equal better.  Eave and soffit intake must be greater than exhaust, otherwise venting will reverse or cross ventilate.  Roof vents exchange air with each other rather than exchanging air from eave to attic ceiling. 
TagsRoofing, Winter, Snow Problems, Ice
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  • This page is meant to give homeowners and contractors insight on situations we commonly see at Freeborn Lumber.
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© 2015  Freeborn Lumber Company   

Freeborn Lumber Company

"Designing Your Dreams"

Freeborn Lumber is a design center located in Albert Lea, MN.  We specialize in home design, remodels, and additions.  We offer drafting, estimating, and delivery services.  We don't stop at just drawing your dream, we have a 2000 square foot showroom for ideas and a full lumber yard to supply it too.  From design to delivery we have you covered at Freeborn Lumber.  

Freeborn Lumber Company | 971 West Plaza Street, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States

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