Ice dam risk in Elko, NV
How often ice dams form in Elko
14.0 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Elko, conditions for an ice dam come on about 14.0 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and December.
Elko averages 41 inches of snow a year and about 49 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 Elko
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 9.8 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 14.0 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 19.3 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 4.2 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 19.3 days.
Preventing ice dams on a Elko roof
- 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.
Elko winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.4 | 17.8 | 5.6 |
| February | 6.8 | 11.9 | 3.3 |
| March | 5.5 | 3.0 | 0.7 |
| April | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.1 |
| May | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 4.1 | 2.3 | 0.6 |
| December | 10.2 | 12.6 | 3.9 |
Elko next to nearby towns
Elko ranks 1 of 10 Nevada cities here for ice-dam days, the worst in the state.
- Twin Falls, ID 137 mi, 17.0 days
- Jerome, ID 145 mi, 17.0 days
- Burley, ID 156 mi, 3.1 days
- Mountain Home, ID 159 mi, 4.0 days
- Grantsville, UT 173 mi, 11.6 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Elko Regional Airport, 1.4 miles from Elko. 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.