REMOVING ICE DAMS-Tips On Ice Dam Removal

Removing ice dams may be necessary to stop leaks that are the result of the ice dam formation.  The leaking in the house should stop within a few minutes once the water that has been trapped behind the ice dam is released.  It may be necessary to remove the ice dam more than once to keep the water from pooling on the roof.



Safety Notes -Please read!

It must be noted that ice dam removal can be very dangerous.  If you are going to work off a ladder be certain that the bottom of the ladder cannot slip or slide.  Also, since the top of the ladder may be resting on ice that has formed over the gutter it can easily slide sideways.  If possible try to secure the top of the ladder with a rope.  Wear appropriate equipment when breaking the ice.  Ice can be very sharp.  Wear goggles or a full face shield to prevent ice from striking your eyes or cutting the skin on your face.  Do not lean too far to either side of the ladder.  Do not allow your belt buckle to go beyond the outside of the ladder.

Walking on a snow covered roof can be very dangerous and should probably be left to the professionals who can work on the roof using harnesses and ropes to keep them from sliding off the roof.

Breaking The Ice
Ice dams will adhere to shingles and if you try to pry them off they will damage the shingles.  The most effective way to remove an ice dam is by pulverizing it with a hammer.  Any size hammer will do but make certain the end of the hammer is flat.  A large nail hammer works very well.  A sledge hammer or an axe can cause damage to the roof structure and is not recommended.  Avoid using sharp objects to break the ice as it is very easy for the shingles to be damaged if the object goes through the ice and strikes the roof.  Be careful to not strike the shingles, only hit on the ice.  It is not necessary to remove every bit of ice.  The purpose is breaking the ice dam to release trapped water and preventing additional water from getting trapped and causing leakage in the house.  Sometimes all that is necessary is breaking the ice dam in a few places to provide channels for water to escape.

Other Methods
Salt Filled Sock
This works quite well by melting a channel through the ice so the water can escape.  There are a few things to consider.  First of all the salt may cause some discoloring on the shingles.  Secondly, the salt may interact with any metal on the roof and cause rusting.  Thirdly, the salt may kill trees, shrubs, grass or perennials around the downspout outlet where the salt will accumulate in the soil.  Lastly, the salt will only last for a short period of time before it will have to be renewed.  By the time the salt in the sock has dissolved the sock will have frozen into the ice so a new sock will have to be used.  In some cases more than one sock will have to be laid on the roof because of the depth of the ice dam.

Hot Water
It will take lots of hot water to melt through an ice dam but if it is accessible it will melt channels in the ice dam.  Bear in mind that you will be introducing more water on the roof surface that can later refreeze.

Placing ice melter on the roof
Ice dam removal can be accomplished simply by spreading ice melter on the roof.  However, the same issues as filling socks with salt need to be considered-ice melt can cause problems with shingles, damage metal and kill trees and plants.

Ice dam removal may be the only way to stop leaks in the house.  However, because of the safety issues it is best left to professionals who are better equipped to deal with the snow and ice on the roof.

PREVENTING ICE DAMS-It Starts At Roof Installation

As we've learned ice dams can be a serious problem because of the damage they cause.  Wet insulation, rotted wood, mold in attic, mildew on drywall, damaged floors and damaged shingles are just some of the damage that can occur.  A proper roof installation will help insure that snow melt-off or even rain that forms behind an ice dam will not leak into the house.  A shingle roof is designed to channel water from the higher points to the lower sections where it will exit the roof either into a gutter system or flow directly to the ground.  Shingle roofs are not designed to hold water or prevent water from flowing upwards on the roof.

Ice And Water Shield
Ice and water shield (or water and ice shield) is a waterproof water barrier that is placed directly over the roof sheathing.  It will prevent water from saturating the roof sheathing if water does get behind the shingles.  Water and ice shield is self-adhesive and will stick to the sheathing and comes in 3 foot widths.  In most cases one course of the water barrier is not sufficient.  Overlap the first course with another course to extend the protection further up the roof.  In combating ice dams it is very important that the first course of the water barrier extends down over the edge of the roof and goes behind the gutter.  This will seal the junction where the roof sheathing and fascia meet and where water can get in during the formation of ice dams.  Please note that any edge metal (drip edge, gutter apron, etc.) should go over the ice and water shield in the colder snowy north. Then install the roof shingles over the water barrier.

Roof Flashing
A leaking roof can be caused by the improper installation of roof flashing.  Roof flashing can be copper flashing, aluminum flashing or some other type of metal flashing and is installed after the water barrier has been applied.  Flashing installation works in conjunction with shingle installation.  This can be wall flashing (known as step flashing) that is also used when flashing a chimney.  Chimneys use a combination of step flashing and counter-flashing to provide a watertight seal.

Another type of metal flashing is placed in the valley area of the roof and is called valley flashing.  Before installing the valley flashing a course of the water barrier should be applied to the sheathing the whole length of the valley.  If the pitch of the roof is low, lapping another course on each side of the first course may be required.  Then place the valley flashing on top of the ice and water shield and secure it with nails.  It is important that the nails are placed only on the extreme outside edge of the valley.  Often a leak in a valley can be traced to a nail hole(s) close to the middle of the valley.  This hole may provide an entry point for water to enter the house if an ice dam forms in the valley.

Always remember to purchase quality products for your roof.  Proper installation of ice and water shield, roof flashing and shingles will prevent most ice dams from causing roof leaks.

ICE DAMS - Causes, Removal, Damage, Prevention

Icicles hanging from a roof may look pretty but they may be an indication of  ice dams forming on the roof.  Ignoring them will not minimize the fact that the ice and water may be causing significant damage to the house.

Ice Dam Causes
When snow accumulates on a roof a cycle of melting and refreezing occurs.  The snow melt will refreeze at the cooler edge of the roof and create a ridge of ice commonly called an ice dam.   These dams will block water from escaping off the roof by creating a pool of water.  This water can sometimes leak into the soffit area or leak back under roof shingles and into the house creating damage to ceilings, walls, insulation, cabinets, flooring, and other personal belongings.  The warmer the attic the greater will be the amount of water from snow melt.  Though it is not always possible or even practical, one way to stop snow melt is to remove all the snow with the use of a snow roof rake.

Ice Dam Removal
Removing ice dams off a roof can be very dangerous.  Snow covered roofs can be very slippery.  Ladders can fall over because of slippery ground and ice on the gutter.  In addition, damage can occur to the roof while removing ice.  Immediate ice removal will however quickly stop the water coming into the house.  This can be accomplished by chipping a channel into the ice dam to release the trapped water.  Another way is filling a sock with one of the appropriate ice melt products and placing it on the ice dam to melt a groove through the ice that will allow the water to run off the edge of the roof.  Ice melt products may be harmful to the shingles or they may damage plants, read the packaging material carefully!


Ice Dam Damage
Roof shingles and gutters can be damaged by the ice dams.  Any wood that has become saturated with water is subject to wood rot.  The wet wood can also provide perfect conditions for the development and growth of attic mold (sometimes called black mold) or mildew.  Mold and/or mildew can grow in the attic, in damp wall cavities or grow on wet drywall.  Wet insulation can also harbor mold.  Mold removal can be very difficult as well as quite expensive.


The water running into the house can also damage walls, floors and floor coverings, cabinets and wood trim used around doors, windows, baseboards and ceilings.



Ice Dam Prevention
Ice dam prevention begins in the attic.  Since attic heat is a major contributor to the melting of snow on the roof and subsequently to the formation of ice dams, lowering the temperature should decrease the formation of ice on the roof.  There are 2 partners in this endeavor to prevent ice dams; attic insulation and attic ventilation.  The proper amount of attic insulation, combined with sealing all areas that may leak warm air into the attic, will help keep the attic cooler while sufficient attic ventilation will allow the warm air that does collect in the attic to be replaced with cooler outside air.

There are also some steps to be taken during roof installation that will help prevent ice dams but that will be the topic of another post.