Best Way To Remove Ice Dams From Gutters

In fact once your gutters are frozen solid the best thing to do is nothing and just wait for a thaw.

Best way to remove ice dams from gutters.

The increased airflow will push cold air towards the water causing the water to refreeze. In fact after every heavy snowfall you should use a roof rake to prevent ice dams from even building up. Unfortunately the first method that homeowners tend to rely on when it comes to removing ice dams from the gutters is by picking at the ice with a chisel or hammer. It s actually a bad idea to try this removal practice as its hard on the roof might cause more damage and also poses a safety hazard for you.

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. As long as the water isn t leaking into your home the underlayment in your roof is doing it s good and there s no real reason to panic. If you have leakage from an ice dam and can t rake the snow off the roof the best way to get rid of the ice dam is to hire a roofing company to steam it off. Eliminate its fuel source if left alone the ice dam will continue to be built up by the snow and ice up on your roof.

One way to do this is to bring a box fan up to your attic point it directly at the areas where water is leaking in and turn it on. Don t go out there with a hammer and try to chisel the ice out. If necessary use a long handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position. Yes it s the safest and best way to lessen the effect of ice dams.

If you must do something. Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. You can do a lot of damage to your gutters this way. So the first step is to remove this ice and snow using a snow rake which is a retractable rake that can extend up to about 17 feet or so in length.

A simple way to stop an ice dam in its tracks is to refreeze it. If a warm winter day isn t likely and you are concerned about your gutters or roof there is something. It melts the ice away without damaging the roofing. A steamer is like a pressure washer except that the water is hot.

If you re interested check out our tutorial on using roof rakes.