Tired of Ice Dams? Here’s What’s Really Going On

Snow on your roof might look pretty until it starts leaking into your attic. Ice dams are one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed winter roofing issues. Most people assume it’s just about heavy snow or a bad storm. But the truth is, the problem starts inside your roof, not on top of it.

At Storm Master Exteriors, we’ve seen how quickly ice dams can turn into warped decking, soaked insulation, and ruined ceilings. And we’ve also seen how most fixes just push the problem down the road. If you keep getting ice dams every winter, it’s not just bad luck.

What Actually Causes Ice Dams?

Here’s how it works: warm air from inside your home escapes into your attic. That heat melts the snow on the top portion of your roof. The melted water runs down to the colder edges, usually the eaves, and refreezes. As more snow melts and refreezes, it builds up a solid dam of ice at the edge that prevents proper drainage.

Eventually, water backs up behind the dam and starts seeping under your shingles. And that’s where the real damage begins: rotted wood, ruined drywall, and insulation that no longer works. The ice is just the symptom. The real issue is poor ventilation and inconsistent insulation.

Why Most Fixes Don’t Work Long-Term

You can chip away at the ice. You can toss a calcium chloride sock on the roof. You can even install heat tape. And while those might give temporary relief, they’re not solving the core problem.

What’s missing is airflow. Proper roof ventilation keeps attic temperatures consistent with the outside air. That means snow melts evenly, instead of in patches. Without good airflow through soffit vents, ridge vents, and clear attic channels, you’re always going to have temperature imbalance. And when you combine that with poor insulation or blocked venting, the cycle repeats.

Storm Master Exteriors never treats ice dams as a one-off. We check the full structure: ventilation paths, soffit blockages, attic temperature, and how the decking handles heat. Because until you fix the system, the problem keeps coming back.

Why This Happens So Often in Michigan

Midland, Saginaw, and surrounding Michigan communities are in a climate sweet spot: heavy snowfall, big temperature swings, and lots of older homes with ventilation issues. That’s a perfect recipe for recurring ice dams. Add in past contractors who skipped ventilation details or installed cheap underlayment, and you’ve got a long-term problem that no salt can fix.

We’ve replaced roofs with brand-new shingles that failed in under five years, not because the materials were bad, but because no one addressed the airflow issues under the surface. That’s why we don’t just inspect from the top down; we also inspect from the inside out.

If It Keeps Coming Back, It Was Never Fixed Right

Ice dams are a structural symptom. And like most real problems, they don’t go away with a patch. At Storm Master Exteriors, we build and repair roofs with ventilation and insulation in mind because what’s happening in your attic matters just as much as what’s happening on your shingles.

So if winter keeps bringing the same problem year after year, it’s not the weather. It’s your roof asking for real attention.