Fan In Attic Ice Dam

To protect against damage to your structure and to reduce energy usage.

Fan in attic ice dam.

The warm spots on the roof melt snow and the meltwater flows down to colder areas freezes and forms a dam. Ventilation during the winter helps to reduce moisture as well as keeps attics dry and at an even temperature. As long as attic air leaks are sealed and insulation is sufficient only small amount of ventilation are needed to keep the attic space cold. If your fan duct has loose insulation or it vents into the attic the warm air may create a warm spot risking an ice dam.

A third component to ice dams is attic ventilation. There are two main purposes of attic ventilation. The whole reason your attic is hot in the first place is that there are leaks or poor insulation between your attic and your living space. Although setting up fans in your attic will expel hot air they won t help you prevent ice dams.

Proper attic ventilation can prevent ice dams. Attic ventilation is required by code but it s not an ice dam elixir. If you push hot air out of your attic more hot air from inside your home will just rush in and take its place. As long as attic air leaks are sealed and insulation is sufficient only small amount of ventilation are needed to keep the attic space cold.

Next a fan in the attic can help keep the cool air found in other area s of the attic circulating around to help counteract the heat and moisture coming up from below heating up the sheathing which is one of the main causes of ice dams.