Last winter I got fed up with ice dams causing leaks, so I installed those heated cables along the roof edge. Wasn't too tricky—just clipped 'em on, ran the cable zigzag, plugged it in. Worked pretty decent, but kinda bumped up my electric bill. Wondering if anyone's got a smarter solution?
Those cables do the job, but honestly they're more like a band-aid fix. Had the same issue a few winters back, so instead I tackled it from the insulation side. Crawled up into the attic, sealed up air leaks around vents and light fixtures with some spray foam, and added another layer of insulation. Took a weekend, wasn't too expensive, and haven't had ice dams since. Plus, my heating bill actually dropped a bit...worth thinking about before next winter rolls around.
Good points about the insulation and sealing—addressing the actual cause of ice dams is definitely more effective long-term. While heat cables can sometimes be a quick fix, they don't solve the underlying issue of heat loss from inside the house. In my experience, I've seen plenty of homes where cables were installed, but the ice dams kept coming back because the attic was still poorly sealed or under-insulated. Your approach to air sealing around fixtures and vents is smart, as these are common trouble spots homeowners overlook.
One thing I'd add is that proper attic ventilation can also help quite a bit. Did you notice any changes or improvements in ventilation after you sealed up those leaks? Sometimes sealing everything up tight can unintentionally reduce airflow if ventilation isn't properly balanced. Just curious if you ran into anything like that when you tackled your attic project...
