Icicles aren't an uncommon wintertime sight around the northwest Chicago suburbs, and although they may be beautiful, they're a sign of harmful ice dams. Improving your attic's energy efficiency protects your home from the damage these formations can cause.
Ice Dams: A Threat to Your Whole Home
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of your roof. It happens when snow near the roof peak melts, and the resulting water runs down toward the edge, then freezes back into ice. The ice causes melted snow to pool behind it. This pooled water can damage your roofing and eventually leak through your roof or even break the roof. It can also leak into your walls and ceiling, causing further structural damage.
Uneven snow melt occurs when warm air from the house enters the attic and rises toward the roof peak. The roof peak warms up while the edges, which are away from the heat, stay cold. Some simple improvements to your attic can prevent this.
An Efficient Attic Provides Safety and Comfort
Upgrades that keep warm air in your rooms and out of your attic prevent the uneven roof temperatures that cause ice dams. They also improve your home's energy efficiency, helping to lower your heating and cooling bills.
Use caulk to seal points of air leakage in the attic, such as around pipes and wiring, dropped soffits, and recessed lighting. Flues will require metal flashing and high-temperature caulk. Add weatherstripping to the access hatch.
After air sealing, add insulation to the attic floor. In the Chicago area, an attic should have a minimum of an R-49 layer of fiberglass batt insulation, although a layer of up to R-60 is recommended.
Sufficient attic ventilation is also necessary to maintain an evenly cool temperature. Most attics do best with a ridge-and-soffit system, but a technician can help you choose the best option for your home.
If you've noticed ice dams on your roof, contact us for guidance at Ibbotson Heating & Air Conditioning, serving the northwest Chicago suburbs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chicago, Illinois about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ice dams and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 847-603-2233.
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