Ice Dams and Other Problems

by Tim Gould

Improving home energy efficiency is often not tangible or something that can be shown off, such as a new kitchen or bathroom. However, it does let you keep more of your money to spend or save, and it helps protect against future increases in the price of energy. Energy efficiency improvements typically increase the comfort level of your home and are always good for the environment.

Conceptualizing the home as a functioning interconnected system is similar to the holistic view of human health. Just as it is wiser to address the person as a whole instead of curing a body's separate parts, so it is more effective to look at the overall functioning of your home's energy system to determine the source of a problem.

One example common with homes in New England is the problem of ice dams on roofs, typically at the eaves. It is not fixed at the source of the problem by installing electric heaters and metal roofing; it is fixed by stopping warm air leaks in the attic. Warm air that reaches attic sheathing melts snow, allowing water to move toward the eaves where it freezes again, causing a dam; water backs up under the shingles. Inadequate insulation at the eaves that is easily correctable and leaky forced hot-air ducts in the attic are two potential causes of ice dams-demonstrating how different house components are connected to cause a problem.

© 2008 Tim Gould. All rights reserved.