I’ve managed a handful of older duplexes with chronic ice dam issues, and honestly, the only thing that’s really worked long-term is dialing in insulation and airflow. I’ve seen tenants try heat cables—sometimes they help, but like you said, they’re not reliable and the electric bills are no joke. One place had a “cold roof” retrofit done after years of patch jobs, and it actually solved the problem, but it was pricey and kind of a hassle to coordinate with tenants living there. Curious if anyone’s found a less invasive way to get similar results? I’m always wary of recommending something that involves tearing up the whole roof unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Had the same headache with my old cape in upstate NY. Tried the heat cables too—felt like I was just lighting money on fire every winter. Ended up crawling around the attic with a caulk gun and a bunch of insulation rolls, sealing every weird gap I could find. Not perfect, but it cut the icicles way down without ripping into the roof. Still get a little ice, but nothing like before.
Tried the heat cables too—felt like I was just lighting money on fire every winter.
Couldn’t agree more about heat cables. Folks swear by them, but in my experience, they’re a band-aid at best and a wallet-drain at worst. I manage a bunch of older houses around the Hudson Valley, and every winter it’s the same story—massive icicles, ice dams, water sneaking in behind the gutters. The only thing that’s really made a dent is air sealing and beefing up attic insulation, just like you did. Not glamorous work, but it pays off.
One thing I’ll add: watch out for bathroom fans or dryer vents dumping warm air into the attic. You’d be surprised how often I find those vented wrong, melting snow right above and causing a mess. Rerouting those outside (not just into the soffit) made a bigger difference than any product I’ve tried. Still get some ice on north-facing slopes, but nothing like before.
Honestly, if you’re not ready to re-roof or tear things apart, sealing up leaks and adding insulation is the most bang for your buck. Heat cables are just... noisy neighbors for your electric bill.
Honestly, if you’re not ready to re-roof or tear things apart, sealing up leaks and adding insulation is the most bang for your buck. Heat cables are just... noisy neighbors for your electric bill.
That’s been my experience too. I’ve seen a lot of folks get sold on heat cables as a “quick fix,” but in practice, they’re more like a temporary patch than a real solution. The electric bills alone are enough to make you wince, and if the underlying issues aren’t addressed, you’re just masking the symptoms.
You nailed it with the venting issue. I can’t count how many times I’ve found bathroom fans or dryer vents dumping straight into the attic. It’s wild how much warm, moist air that sends up there—just enough to melt snow in weird spots and set off a chain reaction with ice dams. Rerouting those vents directly outside (not just into the soffit, like you said) made a noticeable difference for me too. It’s not flashy work, but it’s effective.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical about how much attic insulation would help until I actually saw the results. After topping up the insulation in one of my older properties (balloon framing, leaky as anything), the icicle problem dropped off dramatically. Still get some buildup on the north side, but nothing like before. And it’s not just about ice—energy bills went down too.
One thing I’d add: sometimes people overlook air leaks around attic hatches or pull-down stairs. Even a small gap can let a surprising amount of warm air escape. Weatherstripping those spots is cheap and makes a difference.
I get why people want an easy fix, but honestly, the “unglamorous” stuff—air sealing, insulation, proper venting—pays off way more in the long run. Heat cables might have their place in really tough spots, but for most situations, they’re just not worth the ongoing cost or hassle.
You’ve really summed up the reality of it. I’ve managed a handful of older buildings where folks kept hoping heat cables would be the magic bullet, but—like you said—they just end up masking the problem and running up the bills. I’ve actually had tenants complain about the humming from those things, too, which is a whole other headache.
Totally agree on rerouting vents. I once found a kitchen exhaust just dumping into the attic of a triplex. The amount of frost up there was wild... and of course, ice dams galore. Sealing that up and adding a few bags of insulation made more difference than anything else we tried.
I do think sometimes people underestimate how much small gaps add up. I used to ignore attic hatches until I saw what an IR camera picks up around them—pretty eye-opening. Weatherstripping isn’t glamorous but it’s cheap and works.
It’s easy to get sucked in by “quick fixes,” but your approach really does pay off over time. Even if it’s not flashy, it’s less stressful (and expensive) in the long run.
