Ice Dam Removal
We Remove Ice Dams
How to deal with an Ice Dam once it’s formed?
There are four basic ice dam removal methods. The first is to chip the ice dam away with an ice pick or break it up with a hammer. This method works, but it runs the risk of puncturing your shingles, gutters, and flashing, potentially creating more problems than it solves. The second is to put ice melt or salt on the ice dams. This can be done directly or in socks or landscaping material. It does melt the ice dams and can prevent leaking into your house, but it also can stain your roof and potentially damage the shingles. The third method is to blast the ice dams away with a high-pressure, heated power washer. This method does a quick, great job of removing the ice dams, although some roofing material warranties are voided when power washers are used.
What is an Ice Dam?
When the heat from your house escapes to your roof and melts snow, and then that water runs down the roof to the unheated (improperly ventilated) eaves and refreezes, an ice dam forms. Once some ice forms at this invisible temperature barrier, it keeps growing and the melted water behind the dam has nowhere to go and it starts to seep in through gaps in the shingles and into your attic or crawl space.
The fourth method is to melt the ice dams with a steamer. This looks a lot like a pressure washer, but it delivers steam at low pressure and your roof warranty is not at risk. This is the method we, at Wren Windows use.
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