Preventing Ice Dams With Insulation

Homeowners who insulation contractor with ice dams often find that everyone has a different idea about what to do. Calls to contractors or appeals to friends can produce conflicting suggestions ranging from “Shovel your roof” to “Install heat tape.” The real answer is that the root cause of the ice dams is the loss of thermal control in the house’s ceiling and attic.

Ideally, the ceiling would have a thick blanket of insulation that slows the flow of warm air and prevents it from melting snow on the roof. Likewise, the attic should be a completely conditioned space that doesn’t allow air to leak into the conditioned living spaces below it. When these barriers break down, snow melt and water backs up under the shingles and into the home. This can saturate insulation, stain drywall or plaster, and encourage mold and mildew.

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To solve the ice dam problem, all penetrations into the attic must be sealed, and the attic should be insulated to a minimum R-50 as space allows. Closed-cell spray foam is a good choice for an unvented attic, since it is moisture resistant. This is a project for a professional, however, as it requires specialized tools and training to do properly. In addition, a professional should perform a blower door test and an infrared inspection to see how well the ceiling is a barrier to hot air leaks from the home below. This step is important because it helps to confirm the solution to the ice dam problem.

“Rise Foam Insulation
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867 E Apache St Tulsa, OK 74106
918-520-8485