HomeIce Dams and Winter Roof Problems in Sioux Falls

Ice dams and winter roof problems in Sioux Falls

Ice dams on Sioux Falls roofs start in the attic: warm air leaks up from the house, melts the snow on the roof, and the water freezes again at the edge. Here is the lasting fix, what to leave alone, when snow on the roof turns dangerous, and what insurance pays for.

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What not to do

What causes ice dams?

Heat escaping from the house. Building Science Corporation names three conditions: air outside below freezing, a roof deck above freezing, and snow on the roof. Keep the deck cold and the dam cannot form.

North Dakota State University Extension calls heat lost into the attic, through gaps and through thin insulation, a major cause of the melt, and Minnesota’s Commerce Department puts it more bluntly: the real problem is a house leaking warm air.

Sioux Falls has the snow for it. The city’s code table sets the ground snow load at 55 pounds per square foot, well above the 30 that Building Science Corporation uses to mark ice dam country, and the airport averages 45.3 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).

How do you stop ice dams for good?

Seal the air leaks into the attic. Then add insulation. Every agency source we read starts with air sealing.

  • Air sealing. The U.S. Department of Energy calls minimal air leakage critical, and Minnesota Commerce says to seal the gaps with caulk or spray foam.
  • Insulation. Minnesota Commerce says at least R-50 where space allows, and the Department of Energy recommends R-60 or more in vented attics in climate zone 5 and colder, which includes Sioux Falls.
  • Heat out of the attic. Building Science Corporation says to keep ducts and furnaces out of a vented attic, and to put at least as much insulation over the top of the outside wall as the wall itself has.
  • Ventilation. The Department of Energy and Building Science Corporation count it as a lever, with soffit intake and ridge exhaust, while Minnesota Commerce says ventilation does not cause ice dams. All agree it comes after the air sealing.

For the city’s vent ratio and insulation numbers, see how much vent and insulation a Sioux Falls attic needs.

What should you never do to an ice dam?

Climb up and hack at it. The Center for Energy and Environment, a Minneapolis nonprofit, says not to get on the roof to break a dam apart.

  • No chippers, chemicals or heat. Minnesota Commerce says all three can damage shingles and gutters.
  • No heat cables as the fix. Minnesota Commerce says they shorten the life of your roof and raise your energy bill, and the Center for Energy and Environment says the same about roof life. Building Science Corporation calls them throwing energy at the problem.
  • No salt-filled stockings on the dam. That tip comes from contractor sites. No agency we read backs it.

From the ground you can rake the snow off the lower part of the roof, and NDSU says to stay off the roof and keep the rake clear of power lines. Raking has a cost too. The Center for Energy and Environment says it can scuff shingles and has to be repeated after each snow.

Already leaking into the house? Minnesota Commerce says to hire an ice dam removal service that uses steam, and if clearing the snow takes a ladder or a trip onto the roof, hire that out as well.

Does Sioux Falls require an ice barrier under the shingles?

Yes. The city’s code table marks ice barrier underlayment as required, tied to a local history of ice dam damage.

An ice barrier is either two layers of underlayment cemented together or a peel-and-stick sheet of rubberized asphalt, which roofers call ice and water shield. Under the model code it runs from the lowest roof edge to at least 24 inches inside the outside wall line, and the city’s posted amendment does not change that section.

The barrier limits the damage. The ice still forms. Building Science Corporation says so even of a membrane over the whole roof, and an Owens Corning vent warranty excludes ice damming above the area the leak barrier covers.

The city’s adopted codes page lists the 2024 International Residential Code, but the amendment posted online is a draft with blank adoption dates. Confirm the barrier rule for your roof with Sioux Falls Building Services at 605-367-8670, and see what goes into a new roof here.

How much snow can a Sioux Falls roof hold?

The city’s 2024 code table sets the design ground snow load at 55 pounds per square foot, a figure from new national snow maps, so older numbers online will not match it.

Deep drifts and one storm after another can still overload a roof, and FEMA lists the warning signs:

  • sagging ceilings or roof framing
  • popping, cracking or creaking noises
  • doors or windows that no longer open or close
  • new cracks in walls
  • severe roof leaks

See any of them? Get everyone out. Then call a building official or an engineer.

FEMA says the call on whether to clear a roof belongs with a building official or design professional, and the work belongs with qualified people. Its method: take drifts off first, leave at least a couple of inches of snow on the roof, use plastic shovels, and never use picks or machines. Using a roof rake? Stand clear of where the snow slides off the eave.

Will homeowners insurance pay for ice dam damage?

A standard policy covers the water damage. The Insurance Information Institute lists water that backs up under the shingles from ice in the gutters, and damage from the weight of snow or ice.

It also says policies do not cover damage from a lack of maintenance. Flood is not covered either. We could not confirm from any insurer that a policy pays to remove the ice itself. Ask yours.

Photograph the stain, the dam and the gutters before anything is moved, then read how roof claims work in South Dakota.

Is that winter leak a roof leak or attic frost?

Go look. Check the attic on a cold morning: frost on the nail tips and the underside of the roof boards means damp house air is getting in and freezing there.

On the first sunny day or warm spell the frost melts and drips onto the insulation and ceiling. It looks like a leak. Frost covers a wide area of the attic, while a real leak shows up in one spot, below an ice dam, a chimney or a vent.

The fix for frost is to keep the damp air out of the attic: seal around recessed lights, pipes and the tops of walls, then make sure the vents are clear.

Call a contractor when water stains the ceiling during a thaw, when it drips in the same place each melt, or when you cannot tell which one you have. Read what to do the day a leak starts, or tell us about the job.

Questions about ice dams in Sioux Falls

How do I get rid of an ice dam on my roof?

Rake the snow off the lower roof from the ground, and do not chip at the ice or use chemicals or heat. Already leaking inside? Minnesota Commerce says to hire a removal service that uses steam.

Minnesota Commerce and the Center for Energy and Environment both advise against them, saying cables shorten the life of the roof and add to your energy bill.

Two ways. Meltwater can back up behind an ice dam and work under the shingles. Frost in the attic can also melt on a warm day and drip through the ceiling.

A standard policy covers water that backs up under the shingles from ice and damage from the weight of snow or ice. It does not cover damage from a lack of maintenance.

FEMA says to decide with a building official or design professional and leave the work to qualified people. From the ground, a roof rake keeps you off the roof.

Get a free quote for ice dam and winter leak repairs

Tell us about the job, with a photo of the stain or the ice, and a local roofing contractor will call, text or email to set up a visit. The quote is free.


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