Ice Dams, Roof Snow Loads, and Frozen Pipes in Keuka Lake Homes

Last reviewed: October 12, 2026. General information only, not engineering, roofing, plumbing, or insurance advice. Building code values are set and enforced locally. Ask your town code enforcement officer about snow loads and roofing rules, and talk to a qualified roofer, engineer, or plumber about your house.

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Winter on Keuka Lake is hard on houses in a few specific ways. Snow piles up on steep cottage roofs. A warm afternoon follows a cold week, and water starts dripping where it shouldn’t. A pipe in a crawl space that was fine for twenty winters splits during one hard cold snap while nobody is home.

This guide covers three related problems: ice dams (the ridge of ice at the roof edge that pushes water back into the house), roof snow loads (how much weight a roof is carrying and when to worry), and frozen pipes. It explains why each one happens, what you can do this winter, and what fixes the problem for good. It’s part of our Winter Living & Access and Older Homes sections. If you’re closing a cottage for the season, read it alongside our winterizing guide.

Why Keuka houses are prone to these problems

A few things show up again and again around the lake:

• Converted summer cottages. Many year-round homes started as seasonal camps with little insulation in the ceiling, walls, or floor. Heat leaks up into the attic, and plumbing runs through spaces that were never meant to stay warm.
• Crawl spaces and piers. Pipes often run through vented crawl spaces or under porches, where they are exposed to outdoor air.
• Additions and complicated rooflines. Dormers, valleys, skylights, and add-on rooms create cold corners and spots where snow drifts and ice builds up.
• Hillside homes. Houses up on the ridges sit higher and more exposed than those at lake level. Elevation matters for design snow loads (more on that below).
• Part-time occupancy. When the house sits empty for weeks, a small problem like a failed furnace or a dripping ice dam has time to become a big one.

Ice dams: what they are and why they form

The University of Minnesota Extension describes an ice dam as “a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof.” Water backs up behind the dam, finds its way under the shingles, and leaks into the attic, walls, and ceilings (UMN Extension: Dealing with and preventing ice dams).

For an ice dam to form, you need snow on the roof, the upper part of the roof warm enough to melt it (above 32°F), and the lower edge of the roof below freezing. Meltwater runs down, hits the cold overhang, and freezes. The dam grows as more water reaches it.

Where the heat comes from

The warm part of the roof is almost always warmed by the house itself. UMN Extension says heat lost by air leakage from the living space into the attic, through gaps around light fixtures, wiring, plumbing vents, and attic hatches, is, in many homes, “the major mode of heat transfer that leads to the formation of ice dams.” Other sources it lists:

• Thin insulation, especially along sloped ceilings in finished attics and cape-style upstairs rooms
• Chimneys that warm the attic, especially with frequent wood-stove use (see our wood stove and chimney guide)
• Leaky or poorly insulated heating ducts in the attic
• Kitchen and bath exhaust fans that end in the attic or just above the roof
• Recessed lights, skylights, and complex roof designs

FEMA’s Snow Load Safety Guide (FEMA P-957) points out a second problem: ice dams keep snow from sliding off and pile weight at the eaves, which creates an uneven load on the roof. It calls water getting into the building “a second (and potentially larger) problem.”

Warning signs

• Thick icicles and a ridge of ice along the gutters or roof edge
• Water stains or peeling paint on ceilings or the tops of exterior walls, especially near the eaves
• Wet or compressed insulation in the attic
• Bare patches on the upper roof while the lower edge stays snow-covered and icy

Dealing with an ice dam this winter

Short-term steps

UMN Extension lists a few emergency measures:

• Remove snow from the lower part of the roof. A roof rake used from the ground takes away the snow that feeds the dam. UMN notes that a rake or push broom “may damage the roofing materials,” so go gently.
• Make a channel through the dam if water is coming in. On a warm day, running tap water through a hose and working upward from the lower edge of the dam can open a path for trapped water. UMN calls this a temporary fix that “will become ineffective within days.”

The United Policyholders consumer group’s ice dam guidance adds a clear warning: don’t use a snow blower, shovel, or blowtorch to chip, break, or melt an ice dam. You’ll damage the roof and could hurt yourself.

Stay off the roof

UMN Extension warns that anyone on the roof in winter, or working on it from below, “risks injury and may cause damage to the roof and house,” and recommends hiring professionals. FEMA P-957 recommends that roof snow removal be done by a licensed, insured roofing contractor with experience removing snow. It also notes that contractors are in high demand once a storm starts, so find one before you need one.

If you use a roof rake from the ground, FEMA’s safety points apply at home too: snow can slide at any moment, so stay out of the slide zone; watch for falling icicles; and keep people and pets away from the area below.

Heat cables and steamers

Some owners install electric de-icing cables along the eaves. United Policyholders lists them as one prevention option, but Minnesota’s Department of Commerce says flatly not to install them, because “they will shorten the life of your roof and add to your energy costs” (Minnesota Commerce energy tip). At best they treat the symptom. If an ice dam is already causing water damage inside, Minnesota Commerce recommends hiring a professional ice dam removal service that uses steamers, and warns against removing ice with chippers, chemicals, or heat.

The long-term fix: seal the attic, then insulate

UMN Extension’s long-term advice comes in a clear order:

1. First, make the ceiling airtight so warm, moist air can’t flow from the house into the attic.
2. Then add insulation to cut heat loss through the ceiling or roof.

Minnesota’s Department of Commerce puts it bluntly: ice dams are “not caused by roofing, ventilation or gutter problems, as often believed. The real problem is a home that is leaking warm air.” It recommends an energy assessment with an infrared camera to find attic air leaks.

A few practical points:

• Hire an energy professional. UMN suggests a weatherization contractor who does a blower-door test to measure air leakage, and possibly an infrared scan.
• Don’t rely on more vents or fans. UMN says natural roof ventilation helps keep roof temperatures even but, once air leaks are sealed, only small amounts are needed. It does not recommend powered attic fans as an ice dam fix, because they can cause moisture problems and pull air out of the house.
• Keep combustion appliances safe. UMN reminds owners that whenever a house is tightened up, furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and stoves must still get enough air to run safely. Have your heating contractor check this after big air-sealing work.
• Fix the cause before the ceiling. UMN says not to repair interior damage until walls and ceilings are dry, and to do the repair together with fixing the heat loss, “or the damage will occur again.”

New York’s EmPower+ program helps income-eligible households with no-cost energy assessments and funding for air sealing and insulation. See our heating costs guide for details and other programs.

When you reroof: ice barrier at the eaves

New York’s Residential Code requires an ice barrier, either two layers of underlayment cemented together or a self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen sheet, in areas with “a history of ice forming along the eaves causing a backup of water.” The barrier runs from the roof edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, and further up the slope on steep roofs (2025 Residential Code of New York State, Chapter 9, §R905.1.2). Whether it’s required where you live is set by the local building official in the code’s climate table, so ask your town code enforcement officer when you pull a reroofing permit. An ice barrier doesn’t stop ice dams, but it limits leaks when one forms.

Roof snow loads: how much weight is too much?

Snow is heavier than it looks

FEMA P-957 gives these figures:

That’s why ice buildup and wet late-season snow matter more than a fluffy foot after a cold storm. FEMA also notes that snow exposed to sun can get denser, and meltwater can pool and refreeze, concentrating weight in one spot.

What the code says, and why elevation matters

New York’s Residential Code sets a ground snow load for each municipality, which designers use to size roofs. The local building official fills in that value. A NYS Department of State technical bulletin on the 2020 code’s climate table explains that for building sites above 1,000 feet, the mapped value goes up by 2 pounds per square foot for every 100 feet of elevation above 1,000 feet. New York’s current code took effect December 31, 2025, so confirm today’s figures with your town.

Keuka’s summer surface sits at about 714 feet above sea level, according to the Keuka Watershed Improvement Cooperative’s lake level article. Many homes on the hills and ridges sit far higher than the shoreline cottages. If you’re building, adding on, or putting solar panels or a new roof on an older hillside house, ask whether the design accounts for your site’s elevation.

Older cottages and additions may never have been designed to any snow load at all. FEMA recommends a pre-season inspection by a contractor or licensed professional engineer, and says that if there are no drawings, you should have a design professional work out the roof’s capacity before the season.

Warning signs of an overloaded roof

FEMA P-957 lists warning signs that a structure is under stress during a snow event. The ones most relevant to houses:

• Sagging ceilings or roof framing
• Popping, cracking, and creaking noises
• Doors or windows that suddenly won’t open or close
• Cracked or split wood framing
• New cracks in walls or masonry
• Severe roof leaks

FEMA’s advice if you see these signs: get everyone out promptly and contact a qualified design professional or your local building authority for a structural inspection. Its guide warns that if there’s any concern the roof could collapse, stop all snow removal and evacuate.

Removing snow safely

FEMA’s snow-removal guidance (written mostly for larger buildings, but useful at home):

• Leave at least 2 inches of snow on the roof so you don’t damage the roofing.
• Don’t use mechanical equipment or sharp tools. Use plastic rather than metal shovels.
• Remove snow evenly, and don’t pile it up in one spot on the roof.
• Don’t measure snow in the yard and assume the roof carries the same load. Roof snow loads vary with wind, drifting, and roof shape.

Decks, porch roofs, and lean-to additions on the downhill side of lake houses often collect drifted or sliding snow. Keep an eye on them too, and keep the area under a steep roof clear in case snow slides off.

Frozen pipes

Which pipes freeze

The American Red Cross says the pipes that freeze most often are those exposed to severe cold (outdoor hose bibs, sprinkler and pool lines), supply pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces, basements, attics, garages, and kitchen cabinets, and pipes along exterior walls with little or no insulation (Red Cross: Frozen pipes). Water expands when it freezes, and the Red Cross notes the pressure “can cause pipes to break” no matter how strong they are.

Around Keuka, add a few local suspects: the line where a well or lake intake enters the house, the pressure tank area, and plumbing in a crawl space under an add-on bathroom or kitchen. Our well water and drinking water guides cover those systems.

Before cold weather

The Red Cross recommends:

• Drain and store hoses, close the indoor valves that feed outdoor faucets, and leave the outside faucets open so leftover water can expand.
• Drain sprinkler and pool lines following the installer’s directions. Don’t put antifreeze in them unless directed.
• Add insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces.
• Insulate both hot and cold pipes in unheated areas with pipe sleeves, or install UL-listed heat tape or heat cable.

New York’s Department of Public Service gives similar advice: wrap pipes in insulation or UL-approved heat tape, and seal leaks that let cold air in where pipes run (DPS winter preparedness). Ready.gov adds the basics: insulation, caulking, and weatherstripping, plus tested smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (Ready.gov: Winter weather).

Heat tape safety

Heat tape (also called pipe heating cable) is useful in crawl spaces, but it’s also a fire risk if it’s old or installed wrong. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s guidance:

• Use heat tape certified to recognized safety standards (UL, CSA, or FM), and replace old uncertified tapes (CPSC heat tape guidelines).
• Buy the right tape for the pipe size and length, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Wrap it directly on the pipe, never on top of pipe insulation. Don’t overlap it unless the instructions allow it.
• If you cover it, use only non-flammable insulation of the kind the maker recommends, and don’t use more than recommended.
• Inspect it every fall. Replace any tape with cracked covering, bare wires, or scorch marks (CPSC: Check heat tapes for fire hazards).

Manufacturers’ installation guides also call for ground-fault protection on every heat-cable circuit (for example, this Raychem residential design guide, PDF). If you’re unsure about wiring, have an electrician install it.

During a cold snap

• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
• Let cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. The Red Cross says even a trickle helps.
• Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night during extreme cold.
• If you’re going away, the Red Cross says to leave the heat at no lower than 55°F. Triple-I suggests a higher setting during severe cold, at least 65°F, because the inside of exterior walls where pipes run is colder than the room.
• Keep heating vents clear. High-efficiency furnaces and boilers often vent through the side wall near the ground, so clear snow away from intake and exhaust pipes after storms.

If a pipe freezes

The Red Cross’s steps:

1. If only a trickle comes out of a faucet, suspect a frozen pipe. Check where the pipe runs along outside walls or enters through the foundation.
2. Keep the faucet open so water can flow as the ice melts.
3. Warm the pipe with an electric heating pad, a hair dryer, a space heater kept away from anything flammable, or towels soaked in hot water.
4. Never use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or any open flame.
5. Keep applying heat until full pressure returns. If you can’t find or reach the frozen section, call a licensed plumber.
6. Check other faucets. If one pipe froze, others may have too.

If a pipe has burst, Triple-I says to turn off the water first, then clean up and call your insurer. On a well, turn off power to the pump too. Everyone in the house should know where the main shutoff is and how it works.

If you’re away all winter

A heated but empty house is where frozen pipes do the most damage, because nobody notices the furnace has quit. Our winterizing guide walks through the two approaches (keep it heated with backups, or drain it fully). Remote temperature alarms, automatic fuel delivery, a plowed driveway so the fuel truck and your caretaker can get in, and a neighbor who checks after storms all help. See our winter access guide, propane tank guide, and generators and power outages guide.

Insurance: what’s usually covered

The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) says standard homeowners policies “will cover most of the kinds of damage that result from a freeze,” such as pipes that freeze and burst, or ice in the gutters that backs water up under the shingles and into the house. You’re also covered, it says, if the weight of snow or ice damages the house (Triple-I: Surviving severe cold weather).

Two big exceptions, per Triple-I: most policies don’t cover backups in sewers and drains (usually available as an endorsement) or flood damage. Melting snow that seeps in from the ground up is a flood loss, covered by flood insurance rather than homeowners insurance (Triple-I, December 2024). See our flood insurance guide.

Policies also differ on houses that sit empty. Many limit freeze coverage for vacant or unoccupied homes unless you kept the heat on or shut off and drained the water. Triple-I’s own advice for long absences is to have a professional drain the water system.

A few things to do:

• Read the freezing, vacancy, and maintenance terms in your policy before winter, especially if the house sits empty. Our home insurance guide covers vacancy rules.
• Keep records: furnace service invoices, a plumber’s winterizing receipt, photos of insulated pipes, and dated notes on when you cleared the roof.
• After damage, take photos, stop further damage if you safely can, and call your insurer promptly. United Policyholders says ice dam damage is generally covered “as long as you give your insurer timely notice” and the damage wasn’t due solely to known, pre-existing roof problems.

A winter checklist for Keuka homes

Fall

• Clean gutters and downspouts.
• Look in the attic for daylight, gaps around pipes and wires, stained sheathing, or thin insulation.
• Have the heating system serviced, as DPS recommends every year.
• Insulate exposed pipes; test or replace heat tape.
• Shut off and drain outdoor faucets.
• Line up a roofer or snow-removal contractor and a plumber before the first big storm.
• Know where your main water shutoff is.

During winter

• Rake the lower few feet of the roof from the ground after big snows.
• Watch ceilings near the eaves for stains.
• Clear snow from furnace, boiler, and dryer vents and from around the fuel tank.
• Watch for the overload warning signs listed above.

Spring

• Check the attic and ceilings for leaks you missed.
• Plan air-sealing and insulation work over the summer, when contractors and attics are easier to work with.

What to have on hand

A few basics help with the steps above. Links go to Amazon search results so you can compare options:

• A telescoping roof rake for pulling snow off the lower roof from the ground
• Foam pipe insulation for exposed lines in crawl spaces and cabinets
• UL-listed pipe heating cable with a built-in thermostat, sized for your pipe
• Outdoor faucet covers for hose bibs after you’ve shut off and drained them

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• UMN Extension: Dealing with and preventing ice dams
• Minnesota Department of Commerce: Got ice dams?
• FEMA P-957: Snow Load Safety Guide (PDF)
• NYS Department of State: Technical bulletin on Table R301.2(1) (PDF)
• 2025 Residential Code of New York State, Chapter 9: Roof Assemblies
• American Red Cross: Frozen pipes
• NYS Department of Public Service: Winter preparedness
• Ready.gov: Winter weather
• CPSC: Heat tape guidelines
• CPSC: Check heat tapes and cables for fire hazards
• Insurance Information Institute: Surviving severe cold weather
• United Policyholders: Ice dams and insurance

Related on Living on Keuka: How to Winterize a Seasonal Cottage · Winter on Keuka Lake: Access and Driveways · Heating a Keuka Lake Home: Fuel and Costs · Heating Systems for Keuka Lake Homes · Older Homes Around Keuka Lake · Converting a Seasonal Cottage to Year-Round Use · Hiring contractors

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