Just like people, houses need to breathe, too, and that should be the function of a good eave system. The eaves are the underside of your roof’s overhang,and they may extend out just a few inches or a couple of feet. Whatever their size, their purpose is much more than cosmetic. They should do more than just finish off your roof and give you a place to mount the gutters. They also keep water from running off the edge of the roof onto the outside walls. And well-designed eaves should have vents that allow air to circulate into your attic space. This allows your home to “breathe.” This is especially critical in the winter.
Ice dams are a problem for many Minnesota homeowners, especially those with older homes which are not well insulated. The main cause of ice dams is a warm attic, which means the upper area of the roof is much warmer (causing snow melt) than the cold, lower portion of the roof (where the melted snow freezes and forms an ice dam). When attic air is close to the same temperature and humidity level as the outside area, it makes it much less likely that ice dams will form in the winter.
If your roof is in need of repair, or if your roof has had problems with ice dams in previous winters, talk to a roofing contractor such as Iron River Construction about installing vents that will help conduct cool air into your attic, thus reducing the likelihood of an ice dam developing. Remember, your roof is a system, and the eaves are an important part of it.
