"Maybe it depends more on the roof angle or local climate conditions rather than just defaulting to always putting it in valleys?"
Yeah, that's pretty much my experience too. I've skipped ice barrier in valleys before when the pitch was steep, and it's been fine for years. But honestly, if you're in a region with heavy snow or frequent freeze-thaw cycles, I'd err on the side of caution. It's cheaper than dealing with leaks later... Learned that lesson the hard way once!
Yeah, totally agree—roof pitch makes a big difference. My place has a pretty shallow slope, and even with moderate snow, ice dams formed way quicker than I expected. Ended up adding extra barrier after the first winter...lesson learned.
Yeah, shallow roofs can be tricky... Did you end up running the barrier just along the eaves, or did you go further up the slope? I've seen some folks extend it higher—wondering if that makes a noticeable difference in preventing dams.
"I've seen some folks extend it higher—wondering if that makes a noticeable difference in preventing dams."
Honestly, I tried extending mine higher up the slope once, thinking it'd help. Didn't see much difference, and it really stretched my budget. IMO, proper attic insulation and ventilation did more to prevent ice dams than extra barrier coverage ever did...
- Yeah, same experience here—putting extra barrier higher didn't seem to do much.
- Wonder if there's a point of diminishing returns on height placement?
- Agree on ventilation and insulation being key, but I'd also add roof pitch into the mix.
- Had a neighbor with a steeper slope who never got ice dams, even with minimal barrier.
- Makes me curious if slope angle plays a bigger role than we think...
- Also, proper gutter maintenance seems underrated—seen some nasty dams from clogged gutters alone.
