Ice dam risk in Massillon, OH
How often ice dams form in Massillon
12.9 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Massillon, conditions for an ice dam come on about 12.9 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
Massillon averages 47 inches of snow a year and about 46 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 Massillon
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 6.7 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 12.9 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 20.6 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 6.1 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 20.6 days.
Preventing ice dams on a Massillon 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.
Massillon winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.4 | 15.7 | 5.1 |
| February | 12.0 | 12.8 | 3.9 |
| March | 7.6 | 5.9 | 1.1 |
| April | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 3.3 | 2.0 | 0.3 |
| December | 8.9 | 8.8 | 2.4 |
Massillon next to nearby towns
Massillon ranks 68 of 176 Ohio cities here for ice-dam days, behind Euclid at 24.8 days.
- Canton, OH 8 mi, 12.9 days
- North Canton, OH 9 mi, 12.9 days
- Green, OH 12 mi, 12.9 days
- New Franklin, OH 12 mi, 12.9 days
- Barberton, OH 16 mi, 12.9 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Akron Canton Airport, 10.2 miles from Massillon. 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.