Ice dam risk in Frankfort, IN
How often ice dams form in Frankfort
7.9 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Frankfort, conditions for an ice dam come on about 7.9 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
Frankfort averages 24 inches of snow a year and about 27 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 Frankfort
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 4.2 | Low |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 7.9 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 12.5 | Moderate |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 3.7 days a winter here. It drops the risk from moderate to low. An older house with a warm attic should expect closer to 12.5 days.
What to do about ice dams in Frankfort
- 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.
Frankfort winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.0 | 11.0 | 3.6 |
| February | 6.2 | 7.6 | 2.2 |
| March | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.3 |
| April | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 |
| December | 4.7 | 5.9 | 1.6 |
Frankfort next to nearby towns
Frankfort ranks 52 of 88 Indiana cities here for ice-dam days, behind Plymouth at 15.9 days.
- Lebanon, IN 17 mi, 7.6 days
- Lafayette, IN 19 mi, 9.9 days
- Zionsville, IN 23 mi, 7.6 days
- Whitestown, IN 23 mi, 7.6 days
- West Lafayette, IN 23 mi, 9.7 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Frankfort Disposal, 2.1 miles from Frankfort. 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.