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Ice dams are common with this amount of snow on your roof. The heat from the house melts the snow and it begins to re-freeze when it hits the unheated soffits. Bmwrider is correct but even with a very well insulated attic, this problem will exist (although to a lesser extent). This is why its important to install ice sheild when roofing your home. Knock off as much snow and ice off as you can. Heat cables can help in really bad spots. I'm not too keen on using salt on my roof or gutters.
Conditions have been perfect for ice forming on your roof fover the last week, barely above freezing in the day back to below freezing at night. When sun hits the snow it melts, just physics has little to do with insulation.
I would be careful about using salt or banging away at the ice, you might do more damage than good. Hopefully with the rain and 40 degrees will go along way towards removing the ice, let nature take its course.
Conditions have been perfect for ice forming on your roof fover the last week, barely above freezing in the day back to below freezing at night. When sun hits the snow it melts, just physics has little to do with insulation.
I would be careful about using salt or banging away at the ice, you might do more damage than good. Hopefully with the rain and 40 degrees will go along way towards removing the ice, let nature take its course.
Have to disagree and agree. Yes, melting by the sun is a factor but insulation and air infiltration does make a difference. If you can get the temp of the attic close to the temp of the soffits, you will get a uniform melt/freeze cycle on the entire roof surface. This will limit the amount of refreezing in the soffit areas.
Just thought I'll share my experience with others....
Anyone who can spot icicles hanging from the roof/gutter... please read along.
I woke up to water dripping again... 3 drops per second into the bucket below. I read up on ice dams last night, and I went out this morning to find exactly that. Gutters were solid, I mean ROCK ice, and it went up about a couple of inches in height above the gutter. Now this side of the house does not get the sun at all.
I tried to knock some ice using a screwdriver and knife taking care that I do not get close to the roof shingles. About a feet or so going up the roof... what did I find ?? ... water and water, it was almost like a lake in the middle of ice
So, I dug a channel from the edge of the gutter to the water and.... voila !! the lake drained and more water started to flow through it as more ice started to melt. On the inside the trickle slowed down to a drop every 15 seconds. An hour later, it has almost stopped. I guess its a temporary solution....
Now, according to the articles I read, this happens because of heat escaping to the attic due to bad insulation. But I have the boiler exhaust running right through the middle of the attic through the roof into a chimney, so I guess I could never prevent the heat from melting the snow at the top, so what now ???
Heating elements ? blankets ?
Open to all suggestions.
Just thought I'll share my experience with others....
Anyone who can spot icicles hanging from the roof/gutter... please read along.
I woke up to water dripping again... 3 drops per second into the bucket below. I read up on ice dams last night, and I went out this morning to find exactly that. Gutters were solid, I mean ROCK ice, and it went up about a couple of inches in height above the gutter. Now this side of the house does not get the sun at all.
I tried to knock some ice using a screwdriver and knife taking care that I do not get close to the roof shingles. About a feet or so going up the roof... what did I find ?? ... water and water, it was almost like a lake in the middle of ice
So, I dug a channel from the edge of the gutter to the water and.... voila !! the lake drained and more water started to flow through it as more ice started to melt. On the inside the trickle slowed down to a drop every 15 seconds. An hour later, it has almost stopped. I guess its a temporary solution....
Now, according to the articles I read, this happens because of heat escaping to the attic due to bad insulation. But I have the boiler exhaust running right through the middle of the attic through the roof into a chimney, so I guess I could never prevent the heat from melting the snow at the top, so what now ???
Heating elements ? blankets ?
Open to all suggestions.
Do you have soffit vents? Ridge vent? gable vents?
Do you have soffit vents? Ridge vent? gable vents?
Kb,
on that side of the roof, I do not see any vents at all. The roof does not extend over the wall of the house, it just ends at the wall and the gutter hangs out.
I have seen a gable vent on the adjacent side of the attic. Its rectangular.... does this make sense ?
Kb,
on that side of the roof, I do not see any vents at all. The roof does not extend over the wall of the house, it just ends at the wall and the gutter hangs out.
Hi all, I'm a first time home (house) owner and I just learned from this threat what an ice dam is. I do see icicles hanging from my gutter last week and I just removed it and didn't realize there might be a problem. The roof above my sun den is forming icicles. I'm not sure about the roof above my attic (I'll check when I go home tonight.) I read that the attic being too warm might lead to the formation of ice dams. However, my attic is finished with heat radiators. The sun den is the same. How do I handle this problem? Thanks.
Kb,
on that side of the roof, I do not see any vents at all. The roof does not extend over the wall of the house, it just ends at the wall and the gutter hangs out.
I have seen a gable vent on the adjacent side of the attic. Its rectangular.... does this make sense ?
you really should call a roofer and look in to hip vents. IMO your issue seems to be related to air flow rather than insulation. Perhaps you should call your insurance company and work a deal.
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