TL;DR
An ice barrier is the code-mandated waterproof underlayment zone at a roof's eaves in cold climates, formed with self-adhered membrane or two cemented layers of felt, designed to hold out meltwater that ponds behind ice dams above the heated wall line. The IRC triggers the requirement where there is a history of ice forming along the eaves, and it must run from the roof edge to a point at least 24 inches horizontally inside the exterior wall.
What it means
An ice barrier is the code-mandated waterproof underlayment zone at a roof's eaves in cold climates, formed with self-adhered membrane or two cemented layers of felt, designed to hold out meltwater that ponds behind ice dams above the heated wall line. The IRC triggers the requirement where there is a history of ice forming along the eaves, and it must run from the roof edge to a point at least 24 inches horizontally inside the exterior wall. Reroof quotes in snow states should list it explicitly, since omitting it fails inspection.
Where it sits in the glossary
Ice barrier is part of the Trade jargon group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.
Why Ohio homeowners should know it
This is a term Ohio homeowners encounter when reading contractor quotes, hiring paperwork, or inspection reports. Understanding it well enough to ask one good follow-up question is usually all the protection a homeowner needs.
ProFix Directory keeps definitions short on the index page and saves the longer context — Ohio-specific rules, where the term comes from, and which ProFix tools touch it — for these per-term pages so the term is easy to cite and easy to share.
ProFix tools that touch this term
See also
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