ice damming & insulating eaves

[loubyloo]

Hi

Have had a real problem with ice damming with the amount of snow and ice over the last couple of weeks and this has resulted in water getting under the slates and coming in virtually every window recess and doorway.
Currently the snow has thawed but more is forecast.
Is it better to temporarily remove the gutters to avoid this problem (I live in single storey so it is do-able) or could this cause more problems.
Any advice?

Thanks
Lou

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Ice damming usually occurs because the snow on the roof is melting then re-freezing.
Check your roof space is full insulated and well vented.
This will help prevent warm air melting the snow on the roof.
By preventing the warm air in to the roof space and the vents will keep the air flow in the space at a lower temp.

 

[loubyloo]

thanks

Unfortunately it's a traditional 1 1/2 storey build so upstairs is in the roof space so I cannot physically access the eaves area at the back of the house w/o cutting a hatch into the wall of each bedroom. I've only had this problem the last couple of years when we have had really really bad snow. But would removing gutter help?

lou

 

[loubyloo]

Slight update and 2nd question
I can gain access into the front eaves and can see that there isn’t much insulation in here. The ceiling below is lath and plaster so I can see that there is the clinker type ‘deafening’ and then the small boards over this that are fixed about ½ way up the joists – but there is an air gap between the clinker and boards(difficult to describe)-
If I was to put rockwool type insulation in here is it OK to just put on top of the small boards or would this possibly cause a condensation problem and do I need to remove these and place directly on top of the clinker stuff- so no air gap?

Also is it OK to put rockwool in this area vertically up the bedroom walls to try and make the bedroom a bit warmer.
Thanks

lou

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I don't quite understand understand your description.
You have a lath and plaster ceiling, then you have clinker block wall, which is boarded half way up joists with a gap behind boards
Are we talking about the boards being dot'n'dabbed on the gable end in the loft space.
The best solution would be to insulate between and above the joists, above the ceiling, prevent warm air in to the roof space.
It would also help if you can install air vents at low and high levels this will create a cold air circulation, therefore the snow on the roof will not melt, untill there is a natural thaw.
You could insulate between the rafters, If you wished but you must leave a ventilation gap between roof and insulation of at least 50mm.
I can't see insulating the gable end wall, if that is what you are talking about being any benefit, unless you wanted the roof space to be a warm area which is not really what you need.

 

[loubyloo]

Hi

thanks
sorry I didn't describe it very well- I mean the mucky ash/clinkery stuff they call deafening or deadening up here- it's put on top of the lathe of the downstairs ceiling and so under the floorboards. It's the horrible stuff that comes down on top of you if you remove a lathe ceiling!

Looking at this area again it looks like most of the ash deafening is on top of the short deafening boards I was talking about (although in one area of my loft it looks like boards are on top of these.
The ash deafening is obviously there for sound insulation (and presume continuaion of bedroom floor) but anyway does anyone know if I can lay rockwool directly on top of this ash deafening?

Not sure if there is enough ventilation or not- dont know if it's slate directly onto the timber boards or if there is felt- I suspect it is the former. It's very cold in there but whether it's drafty enough I don't know. I don't want to solve one prob but then create another condensation prob

Thanks

L