As winter progresses through cycles of freezing and thawing, buildings experience ice buildup and it soon looks like a glacier hanging over the roof of your house. You start worrying about gutters you didn't have time to clean in the fall. Well, good news! Full gutters do not cause ice dams! Ice dams are caused for two main reasons: heavy snowfall (like today!) and poor roof design.
The fundamental reason ice dams develop is because the attic space and roof are warm. The solution is to try and maintain a cold roof. For new construction, Minnesota building code requires insulation have an R-value of 38 or higher. In addition, the ceiling must be airtight. Areas around the chimney, plumbing, vents, wiring, or thin spots in the insulation are escape routes for warm air.
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