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That time of year is fast approaching and Ice dams are by far the most misunderstood issue in a home. Year after year homeowners suffer the (often costly) consequences of this pesky phenomenon and usually blame the roofer. However, this is not a roofing issue. Ice dams are the result of energy losses through the roof. While they can be picturesque and fun for the kids to play with, they can also be very dangerous and costly.
Ice dams are a symptom of a disease rooted in a poor thermal boundary (mainly in the roof). Installing heat tape treats only the symptom, not the disease. One heat tape manufacturer actually claims their product is "ice dam prevention". This is equivalent to fighting fire, with fire from a building Science perspective. We know the cause is energy loss through the roof, so let’s plug in an electric heating element and waist more energy to solve it?!
You're not alone/ the interconnected home
