Ice dam risk in Findlay, OH
Will your roof get ice dams in Findlay, OH?
10.6 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Findlay, conditions for an ice dam come on about 10.6 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
Findlay averages 24 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 Findlay
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 5.3 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 10.6 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 17.1 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 5.2 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 17.1 days.
What to do about ice dams in Findlay
- 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.
Findlay winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.1 | 14.4 | 4.8 |
| February | 4.3 | 10.5 | 3.2 |
| March | 4.3 | 2.9 | 0.5 |
| April | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| December | 4.6 | 7.1 | 1.9 |
Findlay next to nearby towns
Findlay ranks 92 of 176 Ohio cities here for ice-dam days, behind Euclid at 24.8 days.
- Fostoria, OH 14 mi, 13.5 days
- Bowling Green, OH 23 mi, 11.4 days
- Tiffin, OH 24 mi, 13.5 days
- Lima, OH 33 mi, 6.7 days
- Perrysburg, OH 34 mi, 11.9 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Findlay Wpcc, 1.3 miles from Findlay. 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.