Ice dam risk in Westminster, MD
Ice dams in Westminster, MD: how often
7.6 dam days a winter
Moderate risk. On an ordinary house in Westminster, conditions for an ice dam come on about 7.6 days in a normal winter, mostly in February and January.
Westminster averages 28 inches of snow a year and about 30 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 Westminster
| Attic | Dam days | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Air-sealed and well insulated | 5.4 | Moderate |
| Typical, some insulation, not air-sealed | 7.6 | Moderate |
| Older or poorly insulated, warm attic | 10.3 | Moderate |
Sealing and insulating a typical attic takes out about 2.2 days a winter here. It does not move the risk band, but it shortens every dam.
What to do about ice dams in Westminster
- 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.
Westminster winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.0 | 9.6 | 2.8 |
| February | 9.7 | 11.0 | 2.9 |
| March | 5.2 | 4.2 | 0.7 |
| April | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| December | 4.5 | 4.9 | 1.1 |
Westminster next to nearby towns
Westminster ranks 2 of 23 Maryland cities here for ice-dam days, behind Hagerstown at 12.1 days.
- Hanover, PA 16 mi, 7.6 days
- Frederick, MD 24 mi, 5.8 days
- Baltimore, MD 29 mi, 2.7 days
- York, PA 30 mi, 5.8 days
- Gaithersburg, MD 31 mi, 5.8 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Hanover 4 SW, 13.3 miles from Westminster. 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.