Ice Damming Before & After Photos

Homeowners in Duluth, MN reached out to us for help with eliminating Ice Dams. 

One of our Dr. Energy Saver® Design Specialists went to the home and provided a free, no-obligation estimate for the work. Hunter measured airflow in the attic and concluded that closed cell spray foam was the best solution to combat heat loss. The foreman and his production crew installed the spray foam.

This home is now properly insulated with reduced risk for ice dam formation! 

This Ely, MN cabin was drafty during the winter and humid during the summer. The owners knew they needed to do something to improve the cabin's energy efficiency and get rid of pesky ice dams during the winter months.

DBS Design Specialist Henry Jungbauer visited the cabin and provided a thorough inspection, including the attic and crawl space. Henry designed an insulation project that would prevent energy loss in the form of the stack effect. The stack effect is essentially the process of outside air entering your home via your basement or crawl space, in this case, traveling through your home and leaking back outside via your attic. This free flow of air means the cabin was working hard to keep itself warm, driving energy bills up and creating ice dams.

DBS Foreman Orrin Sundberg led this insulation project of this Ely, MN cabin. After insulating the crawl space rim joists with spray foam, our insulation crew moved into the attic. They removed the existing batting insulation and air-sealed the space with an inch of closed-cell spray foam. From there, they applied 18 inches of Tru-Soft™ cellulose. They also installed Tru-Soft™ in the attic's hard-to-reach vaulted ceiling using a technique called dense packing, to provide a consistent radiant barrier.

The insulation installed in the attic and crawl space will prevent the stack effect from reoccurring, resulting in less money spent on propane. You'll see in the before and after photos the difference in ice dam build-up from 1 year to the next.

The homeowners were happy with the work our insulation crew did and now have a solid solution to stand up to cold Minnesota winters.

This Duluth, MN home had issues with holding a comfortable temperature during the winter months. The warm air that was escaping the attic was creating ice damming issues that the homeowner considered a big issue. Looking for a permanent solution, they reached out to DBS about our energy saving services.

A Dr. Energy Saver® Design Specialist went to the home and provided a free, no-obligation estimate for the work. After inspecting the property and conducting an energy audit, it was determined that proper air sealing and rigid foam insulation were necessary to effectively seal the space.

DBS Foreman Orrin Sundberg and his crew first sealed the gaps in building material and spaces surrounding the attic ducts with ZypFoam™. They then laid down TerraBlock™, our foam insulation that is infused with graphite for a higher R-value. 

Sealing the attic was key to prevent warm air from escaping the home, and improving the overall energy health of the space. 

This Holyoke, MN home was built in the year 2000. They contacted us specifically looking for solutions to preventing ice dams in their home.  

Our Dr. Energy Saver® Design Specialist Henry Jungbauer went to the home and provided a free, no-obligation estimate for the insulation project. After inspecting the property and conducting an energy audit, it was determined that spray foam insulation and blown-in insulation in the attic were necessary to effectively insulate the space.

DBS Foreman Orrin Sundberg begain this insulation job by removing the existing fiberglass batting. His crew then completely air sealed the space with ZypFoam, concentrating on gaps in the building material and spaces surrounding the attic ducts. 

From there, they applied 1 inch of spray foam to the roof deck. They then used our TruSoft™ cellulose, covering the roof deck in 18-inches of soft, yet dense insulation. TruSoft™ has a higher R-value than fiberglass and other cellulose materials, perfect for use in our northern climate. Tru-Soft™ cellulose is extra dense and made from recycled news paper. It's treated to be extremely resistant to heat and fire, making it a great companion for an attic space. 

This home is now properly equipped to handle warm Minnesota summers and freezing winters with new attic insulation.