Ice Dams: What That Ridge of Ice Is Really Telling You

Every winter in the Windham corridor, the same thing shows up along the roofline: a thick ridge of ice at the edge of the roof, sometimes with icicles hanging off the gutters. It looks like part of the season. It is actually a warning.

What an ice dam actually is

Warm air escaping from your living space into the attic heats the underside of the roof. Snow on the upper roof melts, runs down to the cold overhang at the edge, and re-freezes. Do that for a few days and you get a dam of ice. The next round of meltwater hits that dam, has nowhere to drain, and backs up — under the shingles, into the roof deck, and eventually into the walls and ceilings below.

Why chipping at the ice does not fix it

Knocking down the ice or running heat cable treats the symptom for one storm. The dam forms again because the cause — heat escaping into the attic — is still there. The real fix is keeping the roof deck cold and even in temperature.

The actual repair

- **Air-sealing** the attic floor so warm household air stops leaking up. - **Insulation** brought up to the right depth and coverage. - **Ventilation** at the soffit and ridge so the roof deck stays cold edge to edge.

Done together, the snow on the roof melts evenly and drains the way it should — and the dam never forms.

When to call

If you see ice building at the edge of your roof, water stains appearing on an upstairs ceiling, or icicles getting heavier each storm, those are the early signs. Caught now, it is an insulation and ventilation job. Ignored, it becomes a roof and drywall job. Send us a photo and we will tell you which one you are looking at.