preventing ice damming

[ACM]

Here in N. New England we regularly get enough snow to cover and block my ridge vent, causing ice damming. I am considering putting a cupalo up to get ventilation higher, but can find nothing to support this as a potential solution. Anyone have any comments or experience with this? My wife thinks its a waste of money because nothing will work...(grin). Comments on idea only (not my wife).

[Patricia]

We don't worry too much about ice damming here in the southeast, but I would think a cupalo would at least provide some ventilation, if it is higher than the snow. What are your ridge vents made of? It seems that a material that will hold heat from the sun might melt away the snow and ice a bit. What do you think?

Patricia Wallwork

[jjl3rd]

I too had an ice dam problem and my ridge vents were augmented by vents on the gable end. I never thought that the problem was that the ridge vent was blocked so I did not test to see if unblocking would help. What I did do was two fold both of which worked. first I put some of those heater wires up and down across the area where the dam formmed. that allowed the roof to drain and stopped my leaky ceiling problem. Next I added another layer of insulation to the ceiling ( being careful not to block the air flow from soffit to ridge). After adding the extra insulation I found that I no longer needed to melt the dam as it would no longer form. The addition of the insulation in my case was a long process the wires were much easier but dont save on the heating bill. Since it is already winter I would first add the wires then when time permits add more insulation.

[ACM]

Thanks Patricia and jjl3;
My roof design has no gable ends (not sure what its called, but its pitched on all 4 sides). This also means that there is less ridge line than in a 'normal' roof. The snow is so deep that melting isn't possible. The extra insulation is a good call. I have thought of the wires, but I am glad to hear that the insulation is a better fix. I also have some bathroom vents that need insulating as they are surely leaking heat. I have now heard that this is one of the worst years in memory for ice damming in the northeast - so some of this is just a problem of nature. It is still curious to me that I have not heard more about use of cupolas in all I have read about or heard from others. It makes me a little suspicious as if there is something very wrong with going that way (as it turns out, a cupola would probably help the design!).

Thanks again
ACM

[Troy]

"My wife thinks its a waste of money because nothing will work...(grin). Comments on idea only (not my wife)."
that's funny!

What about past years? Was it as bad?