Ice Jams on Roof! Help!

[Trytti]

Anyone have advice for getting ice jams off a roof! I have a little water leaking in one corner of my house where a large ice jam formed in one of the roof channels.

I just got done chipping off what I could to hopefully allow anymore melting snow to run off. I also shoveled the rest of the roof off, which took 4 hours since we have been absolutely buried with snow. I have a contractor coming first thing in the morning but any helpful tips on how to get the rest of the ice off the roof? I have it in pretty much all the gutters and corners of the roof! I was thinking I would just get a bunch of ice melt and dump on there since it is supposed to be 34 here tomorrow and hopefully that will help make chipping it off easier!

Of course, looked at it 2 days ago and said I should probably get that off of there after our latest snow, but went X-mas shopping instead. Not a good decision!

[Tom7227]

An old fashioned trick was to fill a nylon stocking with ice melt and lay it across the dam. It would melt a channel in the ice and let the water out. Remarkable things can be done with a bucket of hot water poured slowly over one spot. Leave the ice pick, hammer, hatchet or whatever other striking tool you were looking at in the garage unless you want to buy a new roof next spring.

[northender]

We use the nylon stocking trick ALL winter and have for years. I put them about 2-3 ft. up from the edge of the roof in line with the edge of the roof. Each stocking is about 2 ft long when filled and will melt the ice slowly and trickle the ice melt down to the edge of the roof in liquid form. I just line them up end to end around the whole roof where there is ice dam issues. They need refills every once in while.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Do not, I repeat....Do not go up there with a chisel/hammer/hatchett/spud bar/other implements of destruction or as stated, you'll be buying a new roof in the spring.

The ice melt in a nylon works. Bucket of warm water works. Garden hose spraying the ice works.

Above the ice dam, shovel a bunch of snow off the roof. Don't need to get it all, but get what you can safely reach off the roof. If there's no snow to melt, there will be no ice dam.

[CAMAN]

We use the nylon stocking trick ALL winter and have for years. I put them about 2-3 ft. up from the edge of the roof in line with the edge of the roof. Each stocking is about 2 ft long when filled and will melt the ice slowly and trickle the ice melt down to the edge of the roof in liquid form. I just line them up end to end around the whole roof where there is ice dam issues. They need refills every once in while.

Wouldn't it have been easier to insulate the attic years ago?

[Trytti]

Thanks so much for the info guys! I can't lie in panic mode I did use a little hatchet to get the ice down in the corner that was leaking but made sure not to get all the way through the ice to the shingles. I am off to the local superstore for a bunch of stockings and ice melt!

I was thinking of the buckets of hot water trick as well.

[Trytti]

Yes I know that insulation would have helped. But it is not every year we get 40" of snow in 3 weeks. In fact, first time ever since I have owned the house and possibly ever.

[BobT]

The insulation issue doesn't help the situation now. Besides, ice dams are not always an indicator of poor insulation. The sun can melt snow and as it runs down to the edge it can begin to build up as it freezes along the edge of the roof or in a gutter. This can happen under the layer of snow.

[BoxMN]

The electric heater lines work great as well. I had to us ethem in emergency mode many years ago, and I have repositioned them now so they stay up all year long and plug them in when I need them. The main thing is to have the line go down any valley you have. Once the water has an escape route, it can't build up to do damage.

I fixed the insulation problem I had, or fixed it "ok" anyway, and have not had a problem (knock on wood) since, but I do us ethe electric line heater as well to be sure. Right now I have some ice forming, but water is flowing through down the "heat tape" channels.

good luck, those ice dams stink big time.

[Trytti]

Thanks again guys! People all over town are having this problem. Talked to a contractor and said it is the worst he has every seen with all the problems.

So how do these electric heater lines work? Sorry just a novice and not sure exactly what you mean by that? Of course I am thinking electricity and water don't mix.

[Steve Foss]

Dunno what your attic is like, but now that the snow is shoveled off the roof and the ice is all that remains, can you get one of those torpedo kerosene blast heaters and plug it in up in the attic? With no insulation under the roof sheathing itself, I'd think those dams would melt off in a day or two.

[mabr]

One little note to all having issues with damming right now. watch your roofs for build up of snow over all vents whether it be normal roof vents or bath vents.

I spent the weekend on roofs in the chaska area opening them up for just this reason. You need ventilation for any heat escaping your heated areas to escape your attic areas. Anyone in the south metro should be looking for this this year. I removed 5 ft drifts on alot of houses this year. Age and insulation doesn't matter if your roof system cant breath.

I'm telling you this as someone who see's alot of insurance claims.

[Trytti]

I don't think I have room up there to do the kerosene trick. Lots of tight little spaces and that is about it.

The sun is out and it is about 32 or 33 out there now and the water is pouring off the roof, so apparently everything is working. Got 30 pairs of nylonw with ice melt in them and ice melt directly on the large dams over the gutters so seems to be working. Just now wish the days were longer to continue melting everything.

Got a contractor finally coming within the hour to go up in the attic with and access everything and see if there is anything else I can do.

Thanks for the info though!

[schweady]

The only real solution is to keep the roof cold:

1. Proper insulation - keep the heat in the room and away from the underside of the roof deck. Even small leaks can warm the roof enough to cause problems.

2. Proper ventilation - allow cold outside air to enter through numerous soffit vents, and travel along the underside of the roof deck, exiting at the peak. A ridge vent running the entire length of the house is preferable.

Second choice is to remove snow from the bottom 3 feet or so of the roof, more if you have large overhangs with wide soffits. Just watch that you don't damage the shingles.

Third choice is to use electric heating cords, but energy costs may become a concern.

Last choice is use of chemicals, but you risk damaging the shingles or affecting the lawn or shrubs.

[BoxMN]

For electric, I think they are rated in watts, so average is like a 100 watt or soemthing, depending on length. I think I have either an 80' or 100'. You don't need to have it plugged in when no snow is on roof, or even a little. Just when it builds up a bit.

They are made for this purpose, and coated and rated for use in "water". You buy them at hardware stores or big box stores. Menards has a bunch of sizes. Ideally you put them on in fall.summer, and they "clip" with little alum clips to shingles, but you can also just throw/lay/set them on top of the snow or ice right now, and they will melt down through ice to roof. They are only "warm" not hot. I laid mine up one side of house in the valley (1/2 story house) and down the front side valley. This keeps the channel in valley free for any water to drain right out. Then if you have more line left, you can do the "w"'s from eve to gutter and 2' up and back again. Directions in box. Ideally you would have it long enough to run down your downspout and any melt water would use the gutters just like in the summer.

Again, you only need to plug it in when needed, so more of a "safety release" for water should it build up.

Just another option, like I said, after I fixed my insulation it got better, but lots of snow and warms temps in day and freezing at night still can make me glad I have heat tape up there to keep a channel clear. Good luck, the dams just plain stink...

[LightningBG]

+1 on the heat cable. I have a couple of them on a flat roof at work, leads to the drain so a channel is always open. works great. cost $25 to $80 depending on the length. takes about 100 watts per 20 ft. only warm to the touch but works like a charm.

If you lay it down the channel, it'll melt its way down to the roof within a day or 2.

[reddog]

Take the time and remove the excess snow from your roof to begin with. Then go with the ice melt. Once the ice melt kicks in, you have a good chance of knocking it off after a couple days without any significant damage to the shingles. I did exactly that last year, and the ice dams literally popped off and fell to the deck below. Removing the snow will help to heat the roof with solar power which will also kick in the ice melt.

Not all ice dams are insulation related. You can have a R50 attic and if you have some kind of attic bypass, such as an open soffit inot a bathroom or kitchen that sisters to an interior wall. you will get warm air that moves right thru the insulation.

Snow also insulates so the more you have on the roof, them more heat you salvage in the attic.. Many times, it is a combination of problems that cause ice damming, but for the most part, the envirenmental factor is the biggest one.

[Down Deep]

Another problem you can get with a warm roof is condensation on the inside of the roof that can cause significant frost build up. The frost melts when the air warms up and can cause water damage to the insulation, interior wood in the attic and even the exterior walls of the house. This can go unnoticed until there is significant damage. The best way to avoid problems until you can get a solution is to remove snow ASAP after each snowfall.

Most icing problems happen in older homes. To help solve the problem contact a qualified insulation contractor and make sure it is someone who does insulation as a primary business. Someone that knows insulation and air flow can help you substantially reduce the ice problem. This solution may require that all insulation in the attic be removed and venting be installed in the roof and under the roof overhang. They may even recommend caulking the seams in the attics where the wall meets the trusses to reduce heat loss. They will wrap all piping going out the roof and possibly reboot and flash any metal piping that exits on the roof. The last step would be to re-insulate with new material. This work may not totally cure the problem, but will substantially help. Another suggestion would be to call the contractor now so they can see your problem firsthand. Abatement is not as costly as you might think as you can do some of the work yourself like removing the insulation, installing vents, etc. I'd leave it to the professionals to add the insulation and do any recommended sealing. After the work is completed you may still have a problem area or two. For these you can us the heat cord to keep water flowing off the roof.

I'd stop trying to chip off the ice as it is easy to fracture frozen and brittle shingles. Also, try not to rub the snow rake against the shingles. Doing this will knock off the surface of the roof which will result in premature aging. If you get the snow off behind the dam you should stop the water.

Once again, make sure you consult a contractor who knows insulation. Just in case you are wondering where I got my information....I own one of those "This Old Houses" and I've been involved with several flips of older homes all of which had ice problems.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Will ice melt hurt my alum gutters?? Although aluminum doesn't rust like steel, it does corrode.

[Tom7227]

I suspect this thread will get a bit of action over the next few days.

I just put some calcium chloride pellets up on the beginning of the ice dams on my roof. Used a scoop and put a big pile every couple of feet and the water is coming off very well. I think this stuff is what you should use. Not rock salt. Ace had some roof puck things that were $21 but I got the pellets at Sams. Third place I looked.

I have the heat wires but failed to loop them out over the edge of the gutter and that's where everything started to back up. A big tunnel was cut into the snow by the wires but there wasn't a way for the water to get over the edge of the roof.

If you can't get decent access an old trick that I mentioned above is to take a nylon and fill it up and toss it up onto the roof. Hold on to an end and let it hang a bit over the edge and it will cut a channel through the ice to let the water out.

With the threatened rain followed by the cold now is the time to get this project done.

[Jackpine Rob]

In my case we have a skylight on a south-facing roof. The snow hits that bad boy, melts, and its "ice-dam-here-we-come". Most years it is not an issue, but with the rain and heavy snows this year, the dam was quite impressive. The nylons are up on the roof now, and all will be well.

Of course, with Jr. home from college, clearing the necessary snow was REAL easy for me this time.....