Prevent Ice Dams with Proper Attic Insulation & Ventilation

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It’s been a frigid winter so far here in Maine, and the thought of another Nor’easter hitting in the near future probably has you reaching for your warm blankets and cozy slippers. Even if you plan on staying inside all winter, it’s important to think about what could happen to the outside of your home when a winter storm strikes. One of the most common pains that coastal Maine homeowners have to deal with during the winter is ice dams on the roof.

Ice Dam Prevention Starts in the Attic

Ice dams form along the edges of the roof when a warm attic causes snow on the roof’s surface to melt. Melted snow flows down the roof and refreezes when it reaches the roof’s edge, causing ice to build up over time. This results in an ice dam, which prevents further melted snow and ice from flowing off the roof. Because ice dams start with a warm attic, keeping your attic cool is essential for preventing ice dams. You can effectively keep your attic cool during the winter with proper attic ventilation, air sealing, and insulation.

Consider Ventilation

If you’ve done your research on ice dam prevention, you’ve probably heard that air sealing and insulating your attic will resolve the problem. For the most part, this is true. Air sealing keeps heated indoor air from rising into the attic, while insulation prevents heat loss from a home’s living areas. Together, air sealing and insulation in the attic keep attic temperatures down — and that means less chance of ice dams forming on the roof.

Attic and roof systems are complicated. Some do better with soffit-to-ridge ventilation, some with gable end vents, and some with no ventilation at all. Be sure to get an expert opinion from a qualified building analyst to avoid moisture collecting on building materials in your attic and undermining the attic’s structural integrity. Ventilation, when done right, will keep your attic dry during the winter while also releasing any warm air that makes it into the attic.

Make Your Attic Winter-Ready with Evergreen

Proper ice dam prevention calls for a comprehensive approach in the attic. At Evergreen Home Performance, we offer a variety of attic services along with professional expertise in home performance, helping you effectively prevent ice dam formation on your roof. Wherever you live, from Cumberland all the way up to Belfast, our experts can assess your home and help you solve the problem of ice dams for good.

Ready to put an end to ice dams once and for all? Contact us or call 207-594-2244 to schedule a free consultation!

Do you have ice dams?

207-594-2244

Evergreen listened and produced a thoughtful evaluation, proposal and comprehensive plan for our attic and basement. They exhibited excellent workmanship, teamwork, and came back as planned after the completion of the job to test the outcomes. Their overall performance as insulation and home improvement contractors is truly outstanding and we highly recommend them.

Susan S.

Saco

Evergreen came back this year to finish insulating our house. We have been remodeling and renovating an 1850s cape for several years. Their employees are very professional and pleasant to deal with. Over several years Brian Robinson has been able to schedule us in for several small areas that needed addressing and finally turning a room we used to close off in the winter into a comfortable usable space. We primarily heat with wood and since Evergreens great work our furnace has only come on ONCE this winter. Fantastic. Really satisfied customer in Thomaston.

Chris F.

Thomaston

I waited a year to write this review. Evergreen finished our job late last winter. Terrific results!!! we've gone from 12-day propane deliveries to 30+ day propane deliveries. The house is noticeably warmer. The Evergreen crew was/is professional, prompt, thorough, scientific, gracious and immaculate with respect to keeping our house clean. Money well spent.

John E.

Boothbay

Several years ago Brian Robinson evaluated the crawl space at my summer home on Islesboro where I knew moisture was becoming a problem. I had done quite a bit of work in the space many years prior with mixed results. When Brian offered some suggestions, they were ideas that incorporated work previously done, and would be a relatively low cost effort to improve the situation. He offered this advice over several phone conversations of some length, informally, and at no charge.

Cliff R.

Islesboro

I was very impressed by the professionalism of this company and the workers. Brian R. was very prompt in replying to my questions; the crew was meticulous in all parts of the work and attentive to the safety aspects concerning Covid; and Brian was extremely thorough in the final inspection. My attic is now snug and warm and I've noticed that the second floor is warmer as well.

Julia S.

Rockland

The Evergreen Team did a fabulous job and was very tuned and responsive to the particular needs we had. The job was done right on budget and we are thrilled with the improved warmth and energy efficiency.

Ira M.

Rockland

Great job installing windows and insulation.

Bob S.

Rockland

The folks at Evergreen did a great job fixing a rather major insulation problem in my house, which they helped identify with a great audit. When the work began, they were thorough, upbeat, and -- dare I say it -- efficient. I strongly recommend them.

Michael Williams

From start to finish, our experience was incredible. Justin was extremely helpful. The crew was fast, friendly, and efficient. And most importantly, our home is WAY warmer and our heating is less costly. I'd highly recommend evergreen to anyone looking to upgrade their home!

John S.

South Portland

We are so pleased with the work the team from Evergreen Home Performance did in our home. The project included encapsulation of our basement with a reinforced vapor barrier, installation of a sump pump, spray foam insulation on the walls and insulation of the heating duct work. Everyone at Evergreen was friendly and professional. The project was completed on time and in budget. Our home is much cozier and warmer since the project was completed.

Linda Metzger

We just finished a large project of air sealing and reinsulating our 1890s basement and attic which had been completely renovated 8 years ago but still felt cold and lacked proper energy assessment and corrections. We met with Justin in December and were very impressed with his knowledge, professionalism and communication skills and knew Evergreen was who we wanted to work with. Dave was our on hands project manager and was excellent. The office staff has been quick to respond and helpful as well when needed.

Emily Gallant

From beginning to end – that is from the moment Justin McEdward stepped into our home to assess our energy conservation needs until the crew left – the Evergreen Home Performance process went absolutely smoothly. Justin made a thorough inspection and took pictures with an infrared camera. His proposal described the scope of work in detail, and he explained what we could expect the proposed work to accomplish. Our proposal was forthcoming within a couple of days, and Justin was available to discuss it and answer questions.

Adrienne Harkavy

We couldn't be more pleased with the easy, professional, high-value service from Evergreen. Having purchased an older home that had been in our family for generations, we needed multiple upgrades, including insulation throughout. Evergreen insulated our attic with blown-in cellulose, built a new, super-insulated attic hatch, sealed off the old one (which was just a piece of plywood in a closet ceiling), and also talked us through our best options to upgrade our heating system given the plans we have to add onto the house.

Tom G.

South Thomaston

I highly recommend Evergreen! 1st, I had a home efficiency inspection (that was free) & Bryan P. was great! He took the time needed, asked & listened to what I thought were priorities, explained clearly what he thought were priorities & why, then gave me numerous options. No pressure whatsoever. Then I had my attic sealed & insulated as the 1st step & Bryan came along on day 1 to introduce everyone & make sure we were all on the same page. Bruce's team (inc. Kelsey & Roland) did the work - they were exceptional!!

Melissa M.

Kennebunk

I had gotten estimates from several other companies, but Evergreen was in another league entirely with their professionalism. If you want the job done correctly, I couldn't recommend this company enough.

Rayna Mayo

Freeport

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