Ice dams
Ice dams: steaming now, prevention after
If water is coming through a ceiling or down a wall under an ice dam, call. We steam the dam open, then tell you what is feeding it.
Steaming is for the ice you have. It melts channels through the dam so the water behind it can drain, and clears the rest where it's safe to. The attic work is what keeps it from coming back.
While you wait for us
Pull snow from the lowest few feet of the roof with a roof rake, from the ground
Don't chip at the ice with a hammer, ax or shovel
Don't climb an iced roof
Move things out from under the stain and put a bucket under the drip
The visit
What happens on a steaming visit
Five steps, in this order, every time.
- 01
Step 1: You call or text a photo
Myrlande asks where the ice is, where the water is coming in, and puts you on the steaming list.
- 02
Step 2: We tell you the terms first
The hourly rate, whether after-hours rates apply and the crew's minimum, before anyone sets up a ladder.
- 03
Step 3: We set up safely
Ladders at the right angle and a tie-off for anyone on the roof. If the shingles are too iced to stand on, we steam from a ladder or reschedule.
- 04
Step 4: We steam from the top down
Hot-water steam melts channels through the ice, working up from the eave, without prying or striking the shingles.
- 05
Step 5: We write down what we saw
Photos of the eave, the stain and, if you allow it, the attic side. They go to you by text or email, and you can share them with your insurer.
The options
Steam, chip or heat cable
Three things people try. They do different jobs.
| Other ways | Steaming | |
|---|---|---|
| Shingles | Other waysChipping with a hammer or ax can crack shingles and strip the granules. | SteamingMelts ice with hot water. Nothing pries or strikes the roof. |
| The leak | Other waysHeat cables hold a channel open along the eave, but don't remove a dam already there. | SteamingOpens a channel so the water behind the dam drains. |
| The cause | Other waysNeither fixes the attic heat that melts the snow. | SteamingDoesn't fix it. A steaming visit ends with a note on what is feeding the dam. |
Keeping it from coming back
Prevention, in the order that works
Steaming treats the symptom. These four fixes treat the cause.
Seal the air leaks
Heat rides air. Seal the gaps first: recessed lights, the attic hatch, plumbing and flue chases, wall tops.
Find the gaps from the attic side
Seal with materials rated for the spot
Gaps near chimneys need fire-rated material
Insulate over the seal
More insulation slows heat, but only after the air has stopped moving through it.
Depth to the level your house calls for
Keep it off the soffit vents
We write down what to ask an insulation crew for
Ventilate the roof
Cold air in at the soffits, out at the ridge. The roof side of this job is ours.
Soffit intake and baffles
Ridge exhaust
Intake and exhaust sized together
Add an ice barrier at re-roofing
A self-sealing membrane along the eaves keeps water from getting in when a dam does form.
Up past the warm wall line
Valleys and low-slope sections too
Questions
Ice dam questions
What causes an ice dam?
Heat from the house melts snow on the upper roof. The water runs to the cold eave and refreezes, building a ridge of ice. Water that backs up behind it can get under the shingles.
Does steaming damage my roof?
Not when it's done carefully. Steam melts the ice from the top without prying at it or hitting the shingles, which chipping can crack.
Will it come back?
It can, if the attic is still leaking heat. We'll tell you what we saw, and what sealing and venting would take.
Does my insurance cover an ice dam?
That depends on your policy. Some cover water damage inside the house, and treat the cost of removing the ice differently. Ask your insurer. We write what we saw and send photos you can share. We don't act for you with your insurer.
Why can't you come at 2 a.m.?
Steaming on an iced roof in the dark isn't safe work. The on-call line is answered from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in season. Overnight calls go to a message, and the first thing in the morning is a call back and a plan.
Water coming in now?
Call. If it's after hours, leave a message, and we'll call at 6 a.m. in season. Until then, bucket, towels and the roof rake from the ground.