Guide
Ice dams on north-facing Closter roofs
Written by Ultra Power Construction. The credentials page states that this contractor is licensed and insured in New Jersey and lists GAF and Owens Corning programs. Updated 2026-09-27.
Closter’s north slopes stay shaded and cold, so ice forms even when a south slope on the same house is bare. The houses are closer together than Old Tappan’s open lots, so the fix is the eave and the attic, not drifting across a field.
- One house can have two winters
- Pipe boots and sidewalls ice first
- Do not copy an Old Tappan scope onto a Closter cape
One house can have two winters
The south plane melts and the north plane dams. Replacing only the stained side without looking at attic heat makes the next dam on the same eave. Inspect both slopes and the attic in one visit.
Pipe boots and sidewalls ice first
A rubber boot that has cracked will leak as soon as water backs up, even if the field shingles are fine. Kick-out flashing at a sidewall is the other common miss on these closer streets.
Do not copy an Old Tappan scope onto a Closter cape
Valley length, stories, and how close the neighbor sits all change protection and debris. Write this roof’s eave distance and boot count. Link the county ice-dam guide for the building science, not for the price.