If you spot ice forming on the edges of your roof, it is important to not only eliminate the root cause but also remove this accumulated dam. Otherwise, it could damage its structure and weaken it from potential leaking in future days. Therefore, make sure that any buildup of ice along your roof’s edge is swiftly removed!
You may be tempted to leave the ice dam in place and take your chances, but this is a risky move. The wrong method of removal can cause lasting damage to your roof, so it’s important that you understand which methods are most effective for safe and successful removal before beginning. With our guidance, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions on what approaches should be avoided and how best to approach the process!
The Best Ways To Get Rid of Ice Dams
To temporarily remove ice dams, your roofing contractor has four reliable strategies to ensure that you and your property remain safe. Melting away the dams is one of these options available for quick relief from this hazardous issue!
- Use Hot Water: By running warm water over the ice dam, you can easily and safely dissolve it, allowing the trapped liquid to flow freely through your gutters.
- Install heat cable: Install heat cables on the roof in summertime, and they’ll already be there when cold weather hits to melt any ice dams. Your roofer may suggest utilizing them temporarily or permanently for long-term solutions. For instance, these might be placed in north-facing roof planes that have a higher slope; as those roofs tend to get minimal sun during winter months, water is more likely to form an ice dam than elsewhere. Heat cables could easily prevent this from occurring! To help protect commercial roofs from ice dams and frozen drainpipes, roofers may employ the use of heat cables.
- Remove snow: As the sun begins to warm up and melt the ice dam, your roofer might decide to remove any remaining snow off of your roof. Otherwise, when it refreezes on the colder parts at its eave, this could result in another ice dam. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) suggests that a portion of snow be left as not to damage shingles from direct contact with shovels. It is critical to keep in mind that only a trained professional should ever attempt to move snow off the roof with a shovel, as they must take extreme caution while doing so.
Consulting a professional roofer is undoubtedly the best decision when it comes to removing ice dams, however there are some less-seasoned individuals who may not remover them safely. To ensure your investment in your roof is safeguarded, it’s essential that you familiarise yourself with how professionals remove ice using hot water. We’ve put together this guide as an informative source so you can be sure that any removal of ice dams is done correctly and efficiently.