One thing that’s helped me is running a zigzag line of heat cable just above my gutters, then using a cheap foam pool noodle to block snow from piling up in the worst spots. It’s not pretty, but it works. Anyone else got weird hacks for stopping those nasty ice dams?
It’s not pretty, but it works. Anyone else got weird hacks for stopping those nasty ice dams?
I’ve seen a lot of creative stuff over the years, but pool noodles is a new one for me—gotta admit, that’s clever. I’ve mostly stuck to the basics with my own place: first thing I do is check attic insulation and ventilation every fall. If warm air’s leaking up, you’re just asking for ice dams, no matter what you put on the roof.
For folks who want a quick fix, I’ve used calcium chloride in old pantyhose—just lay them perpendicular to the gutter. It melts channels through the ice so water can drain. Not exactly pretty either, but it’s saved me from some nasty leaks when I couldn’t get up there right away.
One thing I’d watch out for with heat cables: make sure they’re rated for outdoor use and don’t cross over themselves. Seen a few scorched shingles from folks getting creative with the wiring... Sometimes simple is safer, even if it doesn’t look great from the street.
If warm air’s leaking up, you’re just asking for ice dams, no matter what you put on the roof.
I get the logic, but I’m not convinced insulation alone solves it—my attic’s got R49 and ridge vents, but I still had ice dams last winter. Maybe it’s the roof pitch (mine’s pretty shallow)? Ended up using a roof rake after every storm. Not fun, but it worked better than the pantyhose trick for me.
I hear you on the insulation not being a magic fix. My place has cellulose packed in tight and I still got ice dams last year, especially over the porch roof (which is almost flat). I’m in upstate NY, so we get those freeze-thaw cycles all winter. What actually helped me was adding a layer of rigid foam above the rafters when I redid the shingles—kind of a pain, but it cut down on the melt. Still gotta rake after big storms though... shallow roofs just seem to be magnets for this stuff.
Flat roofs are brutal for this, no doubt. I’ve looked into adding rigid foam too, but honestly, the price put me off—especially when you factor in labor if you’re not doing it yourself. I just keep raking after every storm, even if it’s a pain. The pool noodle trick is definitely low-rent, but it buys me a little time between cleanups. I’d rather spend $5 at the dollar store than fork out for another roof repair. Sometimes it feels like you’re just picking the least-bad option, you know?
