I get where you’re coming from about air sealing, but I’ve seen cases where even after sealing every obvious gap, ice dams still showed up—especially on older homes with weird roof angles or cathedral ceilings. Sometimes, adding a bit more insulation (even just over the eaves) made a noticeable difference. Not saying heat cables are ideal, but in spots where airflow is tough to fix, they’ve saved me a headache or two. Guess it’s not always one-size-fits-all...
Funny you mention cathedral ceilings—those things are a nightmare for air sealing, aren’t they? I’ve seen folks throw everything at their roofs: insulation, venting, even those heat cables that look like Christmas lights gone rogue. Ever tried adding a vent chute or baffle to get a bit more airflow under the insulation? Sometimes that helps, but in some old houses, you’re basically wrestling with the original builder’s “creative” choices. Curious—did you notice any difference in your energy bills after adding insulation, or was it just less ice outside?
I added more insulation to our cathedral ceiling last winter—honestly, the energy bills didn’t drop as much as I hoped, but the ice dams were way less of a headache. Vent chutes helped a bit, but it’s still tricky in these older houses. Heat cables are tempting, but I’m always worried about the electric bill creeping up.
- Had the same struggle with my 1960s split-level—extra insulation helped with ice dams but didn’t really move the needle on heating costs either.
- Those vent chutes are a pain to install in tight rafters, right? Still, getting airflow up there made a difference for me.
- Tried heat cables a few years ago. They work, but my electric bill definitely ticked up during the coldest months. Not crazy high, but enough to notice.
- If you go that route, maybe just target the worst trouble spots instead of the whole edge.
- Honestly, I found sealing attic bypasses (like around light fixtures) did more for my bills than piling on insulation. Every old house has those hidden leaks...
Honestly, I found sealing attic bypasses (like around light fixtures) did more for my bills than piling on insulation. Every old house has those hidden leaks...
Couldn’t agree more about the hidden leaks—my 70s ranch was basically a wind tunnel around every can light and bathroom vent. I got real cozy with a caulk gun and some spray foam one winter, crawling around up there like I was spelunking. It actually made a bigger dent in my heating bill than adding another layer of insulation ever did.
I tried heat cables too (just over the garage, which always iced up). They kept the ice dams down, but yeah, the electric bill wasn’t thrilled. If you go that route, targeting just the north side valleys or gutters seems smarter than zig-zagging the whole edge.
One thing I’d throw out there—if you ever get to reroofing, consider a green or “cool” roof membrane. Mine’s not full-on grass or anything wild, but it does reflect heat and keeps the attic temps steadier year-round. Not a miracle cure for ice dams, but it helped with summer AC costs too.
Anyway, nothing like lying in itchy insulation to make you question your life choices...