Ice dam risk in Sycamore, IL
Ice dams in Sycamore, IL: how often
19.6 dam days a winter
High risk. On an ordinary house in Sycamore, conditions for an ice dam come on about 19.6 days in a normal winter, mostly in January and February.
Sycamore averages 33 inches of snow a year and about 57 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 Sycamore
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 8.7 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 19.6 | High |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 33.4 | High |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 11.0 days a winter here. It drops the risk from high to moderate. An older house with a warm attic should expect closer to 33.4 days.
What to do about ice dams in Sycamore
- 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.
- At the next reroof, ask for ice-and-water membrane under the shingles from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the wall line. It does not stop a dam; it stops the leak when one forms.
Which to spend on first: air sealing or heat cable.
Sycamore winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.2 | 21.0 | 8.5 |
| February | 8.7 | 15.0 | 5.3 |
| March | 4.4 | 6.2 | 1.4 |
| April | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 |
| December | 6.6 | 12.2 | 4.1 |
Sycamore next to nearby towns
Sycamore ranks 14 of 225 Illinois cities here for ice-dam days, behind Arlington Heights at 21.5 days.
- DeKalb, IL 6 mi, 19.6 days
- Campton Hills, IL 14 mi, 14.7 days
- Pingree Grove, IL 14 mi, 14.7 days
- Huntley, IL 17 mi, 16.8 days
- Elgin, IL 18 mi, 14.7 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from De Kalb, 6.6 miles from Sycamore. 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.