1951 Cape Cod in Edina

Tom and Gail had paid for ice dam steaming four winters in a row. Their 1951 Cape has knee walls and a short attic, which traps warm air at the eaves, the classic setup for ice dams.

We replaced the roof in February, hand-sealing the shingles in the cold, and cut in a continuous ridge vent. New soffit vents and baffles above the insulation let cold air move from the eaves to the ridge. Our insulation partner air-sealed the attic floor the same week.

The first snow after the job melted evenly across the roof, and the eaves stayed clear the rest of the winter.