This scenario is often the result of a warm attic.
Metal roof and ice dams.
Its smooth surface can help and the way that the panels interlock can reduce damage from ice dams but there is nothing magical about metal that eliminates ice dams.
Ice dams and icicles form when the snow melts runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge.
Ice belt metal panels many roofs are made of shingles which work well to remove water until it starts to travel upward.
An ice dam forms when the roof over the attic gets warm enough to melt the bottom layer of snow.
Ice belt metal panels are typically short 3 4 and wide 2 5 3 and are made of thin gauge aluminum.
Many folks give out false information about this fact.
Metal roofing another option to consider is a metal roof.
Metal roofing can be just as susceptible to this as.
1 the metal roof has allowed the snow to slide into the valley where it compacts and forms an ice dam that results in leaking into the home and icicle formation.
This is called ice belt metal panels.
This only occurs when part of your roof warms to above 32 degrees f warm enough to melt the snow while the roof edge remains below freezing.
2 the metal roof allows for unrestrained cascading of snow and ice onto the surface below.
To take a more pro active approach in preventing ice dams you can install ice belt metal panels which are installed along the eaves to block water.
Ice dams can be frustrating.
This is fine when it is the backyard.
If you do not want to install an entire new metal roof you can put metal only where it is really needed to prevent ice dams along the eaves.
A metal roof will generally shed snow better but snow running down the roof will still freeze on the unheated overhangs creating an ice dam.