I know that clearing the snow off is the easiest way to prevent themI'm trying to think of home-improvement type things that will prevent them from forming as wellFor example, I'm thinking that making sure there is enough insulation in the attic, especially near the soffet (sp?) and upgrading our windows to energy star ones might helpAnyone have experience with this? Thanks!
Truthfully it's okay not great not terrible Hope This Helped!
Be careful adding insulation near the soffit, you don't want to cover up any soffit ventsThe key is insulation AND ventilationIce dams usually occur because heat escapes your home up through the attic, warming the underside of the roof deckThis melts the snow and the water runs down the roofWhen the water reaches the eaves of your roof, which are outside of your walls and have no heat under them, the water freezesThis happens continually, building up the ice damIdeally you want the underside of your roof deck to be as close to the outside temperature as possibleA good bed of insulation on the floor of the attic along with a vapor barrier is a good startThen you need a balanced ventilation systemyou want intake at the eaves and exhaust at the ridgeThere are websites with calculators to help you figure out how much you needIf you need a warm attic and your insulation needs to go in the Rafters, make sure to use foam spacers to prevent the insulation from closing off the air channel near the soffitsIn the winter months you'll most likely be able to get a great deal from a roofing contractor to do the workInsulate, and Ventilate and your good to go.
