Why Do Ice Dams Form Below Skylights

Why Do Ice Dams Form Below Skylights

Why Do Ice Dams Form Below Skylights

Wondering why do ice dams form below skylights? Is your roof leak by a skylight? Ice dams form below skylights because the snow that sits on the warm glass melts and then re-freezes on the cold roof surface below, and bam, ice dams below a skylight.

Skylights are beautiful and they let natural light fill a room. However in the winter months skylights are less than ideal. The snow that sits on the glass renders the skylight useless for lighting until it melts. Hot air inside the building rises and thus fills the skylight cavity making it an added heat expense.

Constant snow removal should be done around skylights in the winter. The glass should be cleared whenever a large snowfall occurs. Or you could try ice dam prevention before the ice dams form. Preventing ice dams below skylights is a fairly simple task. As you see from the picture the majority of the roof is free of ice except right below the skylight. In the picture you can see this is a huge deal because the leak is running down the siding already! You can see the skylight glass is practically snow free. This means the glass is warm and allowing heat to escape.

One way to prevent ice dams below skylights is to insulate the hole in the ceiling in the winter. Try to contain the heat in the living area and keep the glass cool.

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