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Sometimes "insurance speak" can sound like a foreign language. Cut through the fog with our handy glossary below!

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Ice Dams

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  • Ice Dam Causes

    Ice Dam Causes

    Understanding the major causes of ice dams is the first step to preventing them on your home.

  • Ice Dams - Combatting

    Ice Dam Combats

    Five basic methods you should know to minimize ice dam problems.

  • Ice Dam Cures

    Ice Dam Cures

    Take action to permanently prevent ice dam formations, and serious damage to your home, with these insulation and ventilation fixes.

The appearance of icicles is your official warning of a potential ice dam. Ice dams form when melting ice and snow refreeze around the eaves of your roof and back up under the shingles. The result: leaks and water damage to interior walls and ceilings. Once an ice dam forms, the damage is done, so the focus should be on prevention.

Prevention, in turn, depends on a clear understanding of what causes ice dams. Because heat rises, the air in your attic even in winter is warmest at the top or ridge and coolest down by the eaves. That's why snow on the roof will begin to melt first at the top and why it tends to refreeze when it reaches the cooler eaves. With nowhere else to go, accumulating ice backs up under the shingles, under the roofing felt or sheathing, and, as it warms and melts, causes interior leaks.

Ice dams are not caused by overflowing gutters, dark colored shingles that absorb heat or low roof pitch, although each of these can contribute to roofing problems. Ice dams are caused by heat build-up in your attic and inadequate ventilation.

Ice dams can be prevented...but you should know that there are no quick fixes.

Before winter sets in:
  • Review your homeowners insurance policy to ensure you have adequate protection and appropriate coverages. A Liberty Mutual representative can assist you.
  • Homeowners policies provide coverage for valuables, up to certain limits. For maximum protection, you should have jewelry, fine arts, furs and other valuables appraised, then scheduled separately to your policy. You'll get the broadest coverage possible, with no deductible. Ask your Liberty Mutual representative for more information.
  • Take an inventory of your personal property. Document this inventory with a videotape or photographs. Store the information, and any other important documents, in a safe deposit box. Liberty Mutual offers a brochure that will guide you, room-by-room, through an inventory -- call your local office for a free copy.
  • Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves and debris.
  • Check and seal places where warm air could leak from your house to the attic: vent pipes, exhaust fans, chimneys, attic hatches and light fixtures are all possibilities.
  • Inspect, or have your roof and attic inspected for proper ventilation and insulation.
  • Look for signs of inadequate ventilation: rust spots, rusty nails or a mildew smell are all signals that moisture has formed on the inside of your roof.
    (Condensation forms on the warmer of two back-to-back surfaces, thus on the outside of a glass of ice water, or on the inside of a roof in winter.)
  • If you have soffit vents in your eaves, make sure they are not blocked and insulation surrounding them is secured so that air can flow easily.
  • If you do not have soffit or ridge vents, you can have them installed or install them yourself fairly easily. There are a number of self-help books that explain how many vents you need, where they should be placed and how to install them.
  • Install one of the following, but recognize that these treat the symptoms, not the disease itself. Only proper ventilation and insulation prevents ice dams.
  • Install snow and ice slides. These are metal strips about 24" wide installed as a retrofit solution over the existing roof to prevent ice and snow from "bonding" to the lower roof.
  • Install a rubberized ice and water shield beneath the roof shingles for the first three to six feet from the eaves up.
  • Install heating cable along the eaves to melt ice. While generally effective, heat cables can cause pooling behind the ice if the snow pack is very heavy or if the cable is not turned on early enough.

After winter sets in:
  • If possible, keep snow from accumulating on the lower three to six feet of your roof.
  • If you have not already done so, eliminate possible warm air leaks to your attic, as outlined above.
  • In the event of a loss, contact your Liberty Mutual claims office and a representative will assist you.


Note: Homeowners policies and coverages vary by state. A Liberty Mutual representative will gladly explain the coverages provided by your policy and any regulations for the state in which you live.

*Source: Institute for Business and Home Safety, http://www.ibhs.org