Ice Dams

So what do you do if you already have an ice dam? Most snows can be removed with a "roof rake" or push broom. However, caution must be taken to insure personal safety and cause as little damage to the roof as possible. Homeowners should never chop through the ice down to the shingles or use a blow torch. This will void the warranty of the shingles and could cause fires.

Home owners often install electric cables along the eaves and in the valleys to prevent ice dams. Unfortunately, the melting effectiveness of such heat tapes is only a few inches from the cable, and the melting often causes secondary ice-dams higher up the roof to develop.

One of the safest ways to have ice dams removed is by steaming off the roof. Steaming off the roof is fast and one of the safest things for your shingles. Things to check on before letting a professional remove your ice dam is that the company is licensed and insured. The main thing to keep in mind is the ice dams will come back year after year until the reason the ice dam in happening is corrected.