Ice dam risk in Elkhart, IN
Ice dams in Elkhart, IN: how often
14.8 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Elkhart, conditions for an ice dam come on about 14.8 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
Elkhart averages 45 inches of snow a year and about 48 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 Elkhart
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 7.2 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 14.8 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 24.3 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 7.6 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 24.3 days.
What to do about ice dams in Elkhart
- 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.
Elkhart winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.8 | 17.9 | 6.4 |
| February | 11.4 | 13.9 | 4.4 |
| March | 5.4 | 4.8 | 0.9 |
| April | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| December | 9.9 | 9.6 | 2.8 |
Elkhart next to nearby towns
Elkhart ranks 8 of 88 Indiana cities here for ice-dam days, behind Plymouth at 15.9 days.
- Mishawaka, IN 11 mi, 15.8 days
- Goshen, IN 11 mi, 14.8 days
- South Bend, IN 16 mi, 15.8 days
- Niles, MI 18 mi, 16.7 days
- Sturgis, MI 29 mi, 18.7 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Goshen 3SW, 10.2 miles from Elkhart. 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.