Ice Dams... a difficult winter problem

Many of our customers have ice dams on their roofs as a result of the recent snowstorms.  Once an ice dam has formed, they are difficult to deal with.  The safest course is to hire a professional because of the dangers of avalanching snow and icicles, slippery ladders and roofs, and potential damage to roof shingles and gutters.

However, if you want to do the work yourself, use extreme care and follow these recommendations from roofing experts:

• Use a roof rake to remove snow buildup from the roof. However, DO NOT use a roof rake near any electrical wiring.
• DO NOT climb on a roof or work on a ladder beneath a roof that has large amounts of snow on it.
• Use extreme caution on ladders
• Remove ice buildup around gutters by melting the ice with calcium chloride (other products may damage the roof shingles).  For added effectiveness, purchase a pre-filled tube or put the melting agent inside a sock. This will release the melting agent gradually allowing the water to drip harmlessly to the ground through a channel in the ice dam.
• After applying a melting agent, if you must chip the ice, do so very carefully. NEVER strike your roof with an axe, hammer, or anything that will damage the shingles.
• Make sure to shovel around downspouts so that your gutters can drain freely.  This will help prevent ice build ups in the gutters.

Warning signs: Aside from leaks, stains, and damaged ceilings or walls, there are several tell-tale signs that ice dams have occurred or may be imminent:

• Large icicles hanging from the gutters during cold-snaps following snow storms.
• A thick blanket of snow down slope of bare shingles points toward trouble.
• Water dripping from the roof overhang is a hint that a dam has already formed.