Fan In Attic Ice Dam

Originally posted by slstech.

Fan in attic ice dam.

Attic ventilation is required by code but it s not an ice dam elixir. Ice dams and attic fan. The warm spots on the roof melt snow and the meltwater flows down to colder areas freezes and forms a dam. There are two main purposes of attic ventilation.

If you push hot air out of your attic more hot air from inside your home will just rush in and take its place. 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. 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.

To protect against damage to your structure and to reduce energy usage. A third component to ice dams is attic ventilation. Proper attic ventilation can prevent ice dams. Attic ventilation is required by code but it s not an ice dam elixir.

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.