Yeah, flashing can definitely bite you later if you're not careful. When we did ours, I was skeptical about the ice and water shield at first—seemed like just another upsell. But after seeing how it held up during a nasty winter storm last year, I'm glad we went for it. Sometimes spending a bit extra upfront saves you headaches (and cash) down the road...
"Sometimes spending a bit extra upfront saves you headaches (and cash) down the road..."
Couldn't agree more. Ever seen what happens when flashing is done poorly around chimneys or skylights? It's like inviting water right into your living room. Did you guys also upgrade ventilation when you replaced the roof? Proper venting can make a huge difference, especially in preventing ice dams. Learned that lesson the hard way myself...
We recently went through this process ourselves. While I get your point about ventilation, I'm a bit skeptical it's always the main culprit for ice dams. In our case, insulation turned out to be the bigger issue—once we upgraded that, the ice dam problems pretty much vanished. Ventilation definitely helps, but I'd suggest checking insulation levels first before investing heavily in venting upgrades. Just my two cents based on recent experience...
Good points here. From what I've seen, ice dams usually come down to a combo of insulation and ventilation issues, but you're right—insulation often gets overlooked. A few quick thoughts from my experience:
- Insulation first: If heat's escaping into your attic, that's the root cause of melting snow and ice dams forming. Beefing up insulation is usually cheaper and gives you immediate results.
- Ventilation matters too, but it's more of a secondary measure. Once insulation's solid, proper venting helps moisture escape and keeps attic temps consistent.
- Also, don't forget air sealing. Even small gaps around fixtures or attic hatches can cause heat leaks that insulation alone won't fix.
When we tackled our roof a couple years ago, we started with insulation and sealing, then improved venting afterward. Ice dams disappeared completely after step one, but venting upgrades definitely improved overall attic health and reduced moisture buildup. So yeah, insulation first, ventilation second...that's usually the best bang-for-your-buck approach.
"Also, don't forget air sealing. Even small gaps around fixtures or attic hatches can cause heat leaks that insulation alone won't fix."
This is spot-on advice. Learned this the hard way when we redid our roof a few years back. Thought we'd nailed it with thick insulation and new vents, but still had stubborn ice dams forming. Turns out, it was those sneaky little gaps around recessed lighting fixtures and wiring holes letting warm air escape into the attic. Took a weekend to seal them up properly with spray foam and caulk, but the difference was immediate—no more ice dams since then.
One other thing I'd add to this conversation: roof color and material choice can also play a subtle role in ice dam formation. Dark shingles absorb more sunlight and heat up quicker, potentially causing uneven melting. When we replaced our roof, we went with lighter-colored shingles that reflect more sunlight, helping keep things cooler overall. It's not a magic bullet on its own, but combined with proper insulation and sealing, it definitely helped.
Curious if anyone here has experience using metal roofing for ice dam prevention? I've heard mixed reviews—some folks swear by it because snow slides off easier, but others say it's not worth the extra cost. We're considering metal for a future project...would love to hear firsthand experiences before diving in.
