If you're like most people, your attic is probably the last place in which you tend to spend time. In fact, the vast majority of Canadians go up to their attics only when dealing with a leaky roof or "animal intruders" like bats or squirrels.

During the winter, however, attics are vulnerable to an even greater and potentially more damaging problem: ice damming. Ice dams are large accumulations of ice that collect on the lip of your roof or in the gutters. Once they've set in, ice dams can cause melting snow or rain to back up, and find its way under your shingles, into the attic, and into your home.

To help you avoid such a situation, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has tips on how to spot, prevent and remove ice dams from your roof. Houses more prone to ice dams, often have inadequate insulation or major leakage of warm air from the home into the attic, complicated roof shapes, that concentrate water drainage into small areas and a "patchy" melt pattern when covered with frost or snow. Attics that are well sealed and insulated, for example, generally have the lowest risk of ice dams.

Quick fixes for ice dams can range from attaching electric cables to attacking the ice with an axe. But each of these "home remedies" also comes with its own drawbacks, ranging from creating an eyesore or damaging your shingles, to creating the possibility you will slip and fall off a ladder.

Fortunately, there are more effective solutions to help you protect your house, your health - and potentially save thousands of dollars in roof repairs.  Depending on your roof and the age of your home, these solutions include:

• Waterproofing your roof by placing a self-sealing membrane under the shingles.
• Air sealing the attic floor between your house and the attic space.
• Insulating thoroughly with the best insulation possible, where necessary.

By spending the time to fix the problem properly the first time, you'll help prevent ice damming from occurring.

Source:CMHC