How to fix an Ice Dam

Clogged gutters contribute to ice dams

So, you haven’t called anyone for gutter cleaning, but now you have an ice dam, what now?

Climbing on the roof with snow or ice, makes a dangerous situation even worse. Don’t risk your personal injury if you’re not properly trained, call a professional!

Professionals are skilled and insured to carefully handle this situation. The solutions can range from simple methods of using snow rakes to remove the snow to high end methods of using pressurized steam to safely melt the snow and ice. h2oTEKS provide skilled professional services for residential gutter cleaning.

PLEASE DO NOT EVER TRY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH WELL INTENDED HOME REMODIES. Bad examples form other homeowners have been to us a hammer or pick ax to break it up, using a torch of any kind, or using hot water or a pressure washer. These methods will lead to disaster and even more damage. We will let you use your own imagination on how bad these methods can be. Even a simple method of throwing salt on the roof can lead to unintended damage to the house and landscaping.

The best thing, is always preventative maintenance. This includes making sure your home is properly insulated and ventilated, this is the best course of action as it is fixing the root problem. Perhaps you choose a different method, treating the symptoms not the cause, by adding heating strips or cables to the lower 3′ of your roof.

But, if it’s to late for the that, and you’re not going to call a professional, there are a few things you could do at your own risk. Although it unadvisable to be on a ladder or the roof in the snow, the following can be done from the ground or upstairs windows, at your own risk. The first option, purchase a snow rake and extension pole, this allows you to safely work from the ground, removing the buildup of snow.

The second option, if ice is already underneath the snow,  use sand as a safe melting agent. Unlike salt, which could in excess hurt landscaping in the run off, sand can just disappear in the spring. To your surprise, even on a cloudy day, sand can soak up a lot of heat, melting away snow or ice. just don’t forget to have the gutters cleaned in the spring of remain sand deposit. You only need to melt enough to expose the shingles, once they are exposed they will heat up on their own and melt the rest.

Important tips for any method: Always start at the bottom and work your way up. If you start from the top down, you will either end up with a giant pile up snow coming down in your face, or worse yet, you will melt the top but it will not have free access to the gutters and can refreeze creating a new ice and potential leak in your home.

What if you already have an ice dam and it is leaking in your house? This Old House suggests, cool the attic by venting in cold air as fast as possible. The leak will stop once it freezes up. You can then go about trying to remove the ice dam or wait for the professional to arrive.

h2oTEKS Ltd is happy to provide 20 years worth of experience, specializing in window cleaning, pressure washing, and gutter cleaning. We are not an all purpose cleaning or handy man company. What we do is all that we do, making us great at it!

Were a small family owned/operated business that has given positive results to thousands of homes and businesses.

Rest assured, if its gutter cleaning, window cleaning, or pressure washing; from the South Hills or Peters Township area of  Pittsburgh Pennsylvania up to Wexford, you will have a hard time finding someone else that you will be more satisfied with.

We can be conveniently contacted by the following methods
h2oTEKS Ltd. – (724) 909-0173 – Info@h2oteks.com – www.h2oteks.com