Ice dam risk in East Peoria, IL
Will your roof get ice dams in East Peoria, IL?
10.3 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in East Peoria, conditions for an ice dam come on about 10.3 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
East Peoria averages 26 inches of snow a year and about 36 days with snow on the ground. Most of it comes and goes within a few days. The conditions that make a dam need all three at once: snow, cold at the eave and heat above it.
What your attic does to that number in East Peoria
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 5.5 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 10.3 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 16.3 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 4.8 days a winter here. It does not move the risk band, but it shortens every dam. An older house with a warm attic should expect closer to 16.3 days.
What to do about ice dams in East Peoria
- Air-seal the attic floor: the gaps around the hatch, light fixtures, plumbing stacks and the top plates of interior walls. This is the fix that removes the cause, and it usually costs less than a season of contractor ice removal.
- Rake the bottom three or four feet of roof after any storm that leaves more than about six inches, from the ground with a roof rake.
Which to spend on first: air sealing or heat cable.
East Peoria winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.7 | 14.2 | 4.8 |
| February | 6.9 | 8.8 | 2.6 |
| March | 3.3 | 3.1 | 0.5 |
| April | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| December | 6.2 | 7.9 | 2.2 |
East Peoria next to nearby towns
East Peoria ranks 178 of 225 Illinois cities here for ice-dam days, behind Arlington Heights at 21.5 days.
- Morton, IL 6 mi, 12.1 days
- Washington, IL 6 mi, 12.1 days
- Peoria, IL 7 mi, 10.3 days
- Pekin, IL 8 mi, 10.3 days
- Canton, IL 27 mi, 10.4 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from General Wayne A Downing International A, 7.5 miles from East Peoria. A dam day is a day with snow on the roof and freezing at the eave while heat or sun melts the snow above it. This describes a normal winter, not this one.