more ice problems! design ideas
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I have some ice dams forming at the edge of the roof and in the gutters. This has been happening for years so I’m not that concerned. I have been putting some salt on top of the ice in the gutters. I’ll load them up again today. I also am building a snow rake for the roof. I’ll just pull the snow off the areas i can get to. I learned that trick in Wisconsin.
There are two hips on the front of the house with a shed roof in between. It makes the entrance kind of weird but we have started coming up with some ideas to make it work. I have thought of putting a gable end on the hips so there is a more traditional look with more curb appeal. These are design questions. The gables would make the house look bigger from the street. I guess when they built these ( late fifties) it was in vogue to make the house look lower and more ranch like.
If I’m going to change the roof I might as well re-do the sofits. They are sagging and have a lot of coats of paint on them. Most likely the ice dams over the years have gotten them moist or wet. The low slope in conjunction with the hips is bringing the roof down close to sofit and tops of the walls.
The walls are about a 4″ brick with a 3/4″ furring strip, then a 3/4″ insulation board, then the drywall. So the brick is pretty warm and I think it is warm at the top of the wall which is pretty close to the bottom of the roof. Also the windows in this are are single pane with storms. They are pretty warm also. The whole porch area is warm.
I’m not real happy with the way this house was built but I have to work with what I’ve been given. I have thought that If I remodel a room I could improve on the 3/4″ fiber board on the inside of the brick. But the house and rooms are small. I don’t want to eat into the square footage to much. With small rooms and houses every inch counts.
Would it be a good idea to bring in an insulation/energy consultant?
If I put sofit vents in with rafter chutes and loose insulation up against and under the rafter chutes, will that be enough? The top of the walls are right under the roof there. Should I put some rigid foam board under the rafter chutes above the walls?
I’m concerned that the rafter chutes with loose insulation under it won’t be enough.
Once again, thanks for ALL the info.
Edited 12/22/2007 5:13 pm ET by popawheelie
Replies
1) Where is this house? (Fill in your profile.)
2) If you should decide to do extensive mods to the roof it may be simplest to remove it completely and install "energy trusses" that raise the roof up several inches. This greatly simplifies insulating the soffit area.
3) It sounds like insulation is virtually nonexistent. At the very least removing the insulation in the walls and replacing with high density foam, tightly sealed, would help. If nothing else the sealing cuts down on drafts dramatically.
Re the ceiling insulation, anything is better than nothing. Best would be to install the chutes and then blow in maybe 8" of cellulose (or chopped fiberglass, if you have to, I suppose). But you probably don't want to do that until you figure out what else you're doing to the roof.
You also want to work hard at eliminating any air leakage into the attic. Probably a lot in a house of this vintage, in pseudo-warm country (I presume).
4) Can't say about the energy consultant. You might see if your gas or electric co has a program for them -- probably the best deal you'll get. They might (or might not) have some good suggestions (once you get past the obvious stuff they're sure to mention like turning down the thermostat, using CFLs, etc). Some thermal imaging might be worthwhile, but that's likely not part of the standard package.
I filled in my profile. Sorry, I thought it was. I'm not happy with the roof. The low slope is stupid in snow country. We weren't here last year but it was supposed to have 4' of snow on the ground for a while. I also don't like the look of the hips from the street. Some nice gable ends with a nice ornamental gable end vent would look alot nicer.
I've mentioned it to my wife and she didn't like the idea. Not because she wouldn't like it. It scared her. She thinks it would be to expensive and out of my reach as a carpenter. She has no idea of what my capabilities are. To close to see it I guess.
One thing I really dislike is doing things twice so you are right about making up our mind before we start insulating.
Dan, My wife needs to be convinced on some of these things. I guess she is like most people. Doubtfull combined with fear on comparitively big stuff.
I used to just press her and forge ahead but now I bring in support. I could have a disigner do a drawing of what it would look like. having a drawing really helps, along with the designer. Designers know what they are doing right? After all they went to school. I'm just a lowly carpenter. What do I know.
Re the salt on the ice dams: Fill tube socks with rock salt and lay them across the dams at intervals of a few feet. Will use less salt more effectively.
I did use the sock idea but I think I put it in the stream because it was gone in a few days. I'll try again and keep them out of the stream.