Do you have icicles hanging off your roof or gutters? They might look pretty, but they’re a sign of ice dams. Ice dams are a common problem in Massachusetts that can cause serious damage to your roof, attic insulation, and interior walls/ceilings.
Luckily, there’s a simple way to avoid ice dams.
In this guide, we explain how ice dams form, what you can do about them, and most importantly, how to reduce the risk of ice dams forming on your roof.
What Is an Ice Dam?
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms along the edge of your roof, blocking water drainage. They form when the snow on your roof melts and flows down toward the colder edges, where it refreezes. This creates a blockage that stops future ice melt from draining away from your home. As water pools behind the blockage, it can seep through your roof and into your home, causing significant and lasting damage.
What’s the Problem with Ice Dams?
Ice dams can cause a long list of problems for your home. The most common are leaks and water damage, but there are several other issues you may run into if you let ice dams form on your roof.
Water Damage
Water can pool behind an ice dam and leak into your home, damaging your walls, ceilings, and insulation.
Mold & Mildew
When water gets into your home, mold will quickly follow. Mold can eat away at your home’s building materials and cause respiratory problems for your family, especially if anyone in your house has a mold allergy or a respiratory condition like asthma.
Roof Damage
In some cases, ice dams will hurt your roof. They can cause leaks, damage sheathing, and break your gutters.
Structural Damage
In extreme cases, ice dams can lead to structural concerns.
What Causes Ice Dams?
Ice dams don’t happen on every roof. They only form when some parts of the roof are warmer than others. For an ice dam to form, the higher parts of your roof must be above freezing (32 degrees), and the lower parts of your roof below freezing. The snow touching parts of your roof that are above freezing will melt, flow down toward the lower parts of your roof, and refreeze when it hits the colder edges.
So, the real question is not what causes ice dams but what causes temperature differences on your roof. The answer? A lack of attic insulation.
Attic insulation holds heat inside your home. If your attic is underinsulated, or if there are gaps in your attic insulation, there’s an easy pathway for heat to escape. It will flow out of your home quickly where there’s not enough insulation, warming the roof above. This creates the ideal conditions for ice dams to form.
How to Get Rid of Ice Dams
If you already have ice dams on your roof, the first step is to remove them. There are several ways to remove ice dams, including:
- Roof rake – Use a roof rake (also called a snow rake) to pull ice and snow off your roof as it piles up around the edges.
- Professional removal – There are many DIY ice dam removal solutions, but in many cases, professional removal is the best and safest option.
How to Avoid Ice Dams
Removing ice dams is important, but if you don’t solve the problem that’s causing them to form they will keep coming back each winter. There are fancy solutions, like installing de-icing cables or a snow-melting system on your roof, but in most cases, that’s not necessary. The easiest and most effective way to avoid ice dams is simple—insulate your attic.
Attic insulation slows heat transfer, so less heat escapes your house in the winter and your roof does not warm up too quickly. With a properly insulated attic, heat will escape your home slowly and uniformly, preventing snow from melting too quickly or in patches. As a result, snow will melt and drain away as intended, making it much harder for ice dams to form.
Save 75-100% on an Attic Insulation Upgrade with Mass Save® Rebates
If your home needs more or better attic insulation, call Neeeco! We can help you take advantage of Mass Save rebates to reduce the cost of your attic insulation upgrade. You’ll save at least 75% off your insulation costs, and if you meet income requirements, you can get up to 100% off.* You’ll also receive no-cost air sealing.
Most Massachusetts residents qualify for Mass Save rebates. To get started, schedule a no-cost Home Energy Assessment with Neeeco today. We’ll evaluate your attic insulation (and the rest of your home), locate energy-saving opportunities, and determine which rebates and incentives you qualify for.
*Some restrictions apply and offers are subject to change or cancellation. Visit MassSave.com/HEA for full details.