How Do I Prevent Ice Dams in Winter?

If you’ve been through a few Tacoma winters, you already know how unpredictable they can be. One day it rains for hours, the next day you wake up to a few inches of wet snow, and by morning everything’s frozen solid. You look up at the roof and see a row of icicles hanging from the gutters — they look pretty, but they’re not a good sign. That’s usually how ice dams start. At Robb’s Roofing, we see it every winter.

What’s Really Going On Up There

The warm air inside your house drifts up into the attic — that’s just what warm air does. When it hits the underside of the roof, it starts to melt the snow sitting up top. The melted snow trickles down the roof, and when it reaches the edge, where it’s colder, it freezes again. It doesn’t take long before you’ve got a little ridge of ice forming along the edge.

Quick Guide

Quick answer: Ice dams form when attic heat melts snow that refreezes at the roof’s edge.

Try this: Add attic insulation and ventilation; install heat cables if needed.

Stop signs: Icicles hanging from gutters, stains on ceilings, or dripping water after a thaw.

Typical cost: Ice-dam prevention work usually runs $1,500–$4,000, depending on attic size.

Why It Happens So Often in Tacoma

You might think our winters are too mild for this, but they’re actually perfect for it. We don’t get deep freezes that last for weeks — we get wet snow that melts during the day, then freezes again at night. That freeze-thaw pattern is exactly what builds ice dams.

When attics aren’t insulated evenly, or vents get blocked, warm air collects near the roofline. The upper snow melts while the edges stay frozen, and the cycle repeats. It’s slow, quiet, and hard to spot until the damage is done.

Simple Ways to Prevent Ice Dams

• Add more insulation so heat stays inside the living space.
• Keep vents open so air can move freely through the attic.
• Clean the gutters before cold weather sets in.
• Use roof heat cables if your home often collects snow along the eaves.

If you already see ice, don’t try to break it off — that usually causes more harm. Use a roof rake from the ground, or call someone who knows how to clear it safely.

How Robb’s Roofing Can Help

When we come out, we don’t just look at the roof. We check your attic, insulation, and ventilation together. Once we know where the warm air’s leaking out, we seal it, improve airflow, and show you how to keep things balanced.

Final Thoughts

Ice dams don’t look like much from the street, but they can cause a lot of damage fast. Tacoma’s weather makes them almost unavoidable — unless your attic and roof are working together.

Call Robb’s Roofing at (253) 820-2163 before the next freeze. We’ll check things over, explain what’s happening, and help you stay leak-free all winter long.