Prevent the growth of mold and mildew by immediately drying out portions of the house that are wet or damp.
How to avoid ice dams with a vented roof.
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.
Getting rid of ice dams for good is simple in principle.
Moisture entering the home from ice dams can lead to the growth of mold and mildew.
You may need to install an outdoor gfi grounded outlet if you don t have one.
The use of icynene on the attic floor to completely air seal is a good idea and should be the first step.
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.
The way to stop ice dams from forming is to keep the entire roof cold.
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.
Ice and water barrier is a type of self sealing underlayment that adheres to the roof decking and waterproofs it.
Air sealing first insulation second.
Install gutter heaters gutter heaters are installed to melt ice as it moves close to the gutters.
Your article seams to point to insulation and venting being the most important.
Another reason why you want to keep the insulation blankets away from the edges and interior walls of the roof in your attic is because it actually helps to keep them warmer which helps prevent ice dams from forming on the eaves of the roof.
Solving the root cause.
That s when you have to call on secondary strategies and ice dam prevention products to prevent ice dam damage.
Preventing ice dams with electric heat cable.
Up the roof from the edge the next time you reroof fig.
Take immediate action to get rid of the water source clean the home environment and maintain its air quality.
In hot climates the roof temperature will be much higher on an un vented roof resulting in shorter shingle life.
Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves.
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.
These can cause respiratory problems.
Run special ice dam prevention products adhesive ice and water barrier from 3 to 6 ft.
You do that by increasing ventilation adding insulation and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof.
These roof heating cables will help to prevent ice buildup along the roof edge.
