How To Get Rid Of Ice Dams Prevention Fast Fixes

Why are Ice Dams Bad?

Dams can tear off gutters, loosen shingles, and cause water to back up and pour into your house. When that happens, the results aren’t pretty: peeling paint, warped floors, stained and sagging ceilings. Not to mention soggy insulation in the attic, which loses R-value and becomes a magnet for mold and mildew.

If you’re wondering how to fix an ice dam on your roof, here’s how you can prevent them altogether or remove them if they’ve already formed.

How to Prevent Ice Dams

Use Heated Cables

Attached with clips along the roof’s edge in a zigzag pattern, heated cables help prevent ice dams that lift shingles and cause leaks. This solution allows you to equalize your roof’s temperature by heating it from the outside instead of blowing in cold air from the inside (as we mention next in “Fast Fixes”). Just be sure to install the cables before bad weather hits. For more information on this and other electronic snow and ice melters, see Plug-in Snow Busters. Keep reading for fast fixes you can do yourself after a dam has already formed.

How to Get Rid of Ice Dams Fast

Blow in Cold Air

Hacking away at ice dams with a hammer, chisel, or shovel is bad for your roofing—and dangerous for you. And throwing salt on them will do more to harm to your plantings than to the ice. Short of praying for warm weather, here are stop-gap measures we recommend. Take a box fan into the attic and aim it at the underside of the roof where water is actively leaking in. This targeted dose of cold air will freeze the water in its tracks. “You’ll stop the leak in a matter of minutes,” says TOH general contractor Tom Silva. For more advice from Tom, see How to Prevent Ice Dams.

Rake It

Pull off snow with a long-handled aluminum roof rake while you stand safely on the ground. A rake with wheels, like the one shown here, will instantly change the exterior temperature of your roof without damaging shingles.

De-icing Methods

You can also diminish the damage after the dam has formed with… pantyhose! Fill the leg of discarded pair of pantyhose with a calcium chloride ice melter. Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. If necessary, use a long-handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position. The calcium chloride will eventually melt through the snow and ice and create a channel for water to flow down into the gutters or off the roof. Next up, a list of long-term fixes that will help you get rid of your ice dams for good.

Permanent Fixes for Ice Dams

Getting rid of ice dams for good is simple, in principle: Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. You do that by increasing ventilation, adding insulation, and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof. By taking care of common trouble spots, listed here in order of priority, you should enjoy dam-free winters and use less energy to boot:

Understanding the Lifecycle of an Ice Dam

Understanding how ice dams form in the first place will also help you better prevent or fix them. Here is the lifecycle of an ice dam:

Birth

Here’s a breakdown of the conditions that lead to the formation of ice dams: First, heat collects in the attic and warms the roof, except at the eaves.

Growth

Next, snow melts on the warm roof and then freezes on the cold eaves.

Maturity

Finally, ice accumulates along the eaves, forming a dam. Meltwater from the warm roof backs up behind it, flows under the shingles, and into the house. Looking for more help with repairs around your home? A home warranty may help. Check out the This Old Houses Reviews Team’s in-depth reviews on:

Best home warranty American Home Shield AFC Home Club Select Home Warranty Choice Home Warranty

title: “How To Get Rid Of Ice Dams Prevention Fast Fixes” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-12” author: “Rhonda Hallett”

Why are Ice Dams Bad?

Dams can tear off gutters, loosen shingles, and cause water to back up and pour into your house. When that happens, the results aren’t pretty: peeling paint, warped floors, stained and sagging ceilings. Not to mention soggy insulation in the attic, which loses R-value and becomes a magnet for mold and mildew.

If you’re wondering how to fix an ice dam on your roof, here’s how you can prevent them altogether or remove them if they’ve already formed.

How to Prevent Ice Dams

Use Heated Cables

Attached with clips along the roof’s edge in a zigzag pattern, heated cables help prevent ice dams that lift shingles and cause leaks. This solution allows you to equalize your roof’s temperature by heating it from the outside instead of blowing in cold air from the inside (as we mention next in “Fast Fixes”). Just be sure to install the cables before bad weather hits. For more information on this and other electronic snow and ice melters, see Plug-in Snow Busters. Keep reading for fast fixes you can do yourself after a dam has already formed.

How to Get Rid of Ice Dams Fast

Blow in Cold Air

Hacking away at ice dams with a hammer, chisel, or shovel is bad for your roofing—and dangerous for you. And throwing salt on them will do more to harm to your plantings than to the ice. Short of praying for warm weather, here are stop-gap measures we recommend. Take a box fan into the attic and aim it at the underside of the roof where water is actively leaking in. This targeted dose of cold air will freeze the water in its tracks. “You’ll stop the leak in a matter of minutes,” says TOH general contractor Tom Silva. For more advice from Tom, see How to Prevent Ice Dams.

Rake It

Pull off snow with a long-handled aluminum roof rake while you stand safely on the ground. A rake with wheels, like the one shown here, will instantly change the exterior temperature of your roof without damaging shingles.

De-icing Methods

You can also diminish the damage after the dam has formed with… pantyhose! Fill the leg of discarded pair of pantyhose with a calcium chloride ice melter. Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. If necessary, use a long-handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position. The calcium chloride will eventually melt through the snow and ice and create a channel for water to flow down into the gutters or off the roof. Next up, a list of long-term fixes that will help you get rid of your ice dams for good.

Permanent Fixes for Ice Dams

Getting rid of ice dams for good is simple, in principle: Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. You do that by increasing ventilation, adding insulation, and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof. By taking care of common trouble spots, listed here in order of priority, you should enjoy dam-free winters and use less energy to boot:

Understanding the Lifecycle of an Ice Dam

Understanding how ice dams form in the first place will also help you better prevent or fix them. Here is the lifecycle of an ice dam:

Birth

Here’s a breakdown of the conditions that lead to the formation of ice dams: First, heat collects in the attic and warms the roof, except at the eaves.

Growth

Next, snow melts on the warm roof and then freezes on the cold eaves.

Maturity

Finally, ice accumulates along the eaves, forming a dam. Meltwater from the warm roof backs up behind it, flows under the shingles, and into the house. Looking for more help with repairs around your home? A home warranty may help. Check out the This Old Houses Reviews Team’s in-depth reviews on:

Best home warranty American Home Shield AFC Home Club Select Home Warranty Choice Home Warranty