Ice dam risk in Franklin Town, MA
Ice dams in Franklin Town, MA: how often
11.7 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Franklin Town, conditions for an ice dam come on about 11.7 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
Franklin Town averages 52 inches of snow a year and about 45 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 Franklin Town
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 8.6 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 11.7 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 15.6 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 3.1 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 15.6 days.
What to do about ice dams in Franklin Town
- 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.
Franklin Town winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.5 | 15.7 | 4.8 |
| February | 11.9 | 10.6 | 2.9 |
| March | 11.0 | 8.5 | 1.8 |
| April | 3.2 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| October | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| December | 10.2 | 8.0 | 2.0 |
Franklin Town next to nearby towns
Franklin Town ranks 43 of 58 Massachusetts cities here for ice-dam days, behind Pittsfield at 31.3 days.
- Woonsocket, RI 7 mi, 12.4 days
- North Attleborough Town, MA 9 mi, 12.4 days
- Attleboro, MA 12 mi, 13.0 days
- Central Falls, RI 13 mi, 12.4 days
- Pawtucket, RI 15 mi, 12.4 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from West Medway, 3.5 miles from Franklin Town. 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.