Winter
Steam takes the ice dam off. The shingles stay on.
Residential and commercial ice dam removal by steam, with a channel melted through to protect the roof.
How a ridge of ice ends up inside your ceiling
An ice dam starts with heat. Warmth escaping from the building melts snow on the upper roof, the meltwater runs down to the cold eave, and it refreezes there into a ridge. The ridge grows with every freeze, and it blocks the next round of meltwater from draining off the edge.
That trapped water has nowhere to go but sideways and up. It backs under the shingles, finds the seams, and arrives as a stain on the ceiling or a drip along an exterior wall. By the time it shows indoors, the damage has usually been working for a while in the layers above.
Homes and commercial buildings both get them. Flat roofs with parapets, low-slope sections and long eaves are all candidates, and the longer the ice sits, the more water it holds against the roof.
Snowy roof eave with an ice dam and icicles, steam rising where a channel has been melted through to the shingles
Steam, because it is gentle on shingles
We use steam to take the dam off. Steam melts the ice where it sits, cutting channels through the ridge so trapped water can drain. In our experience it is the safest method of ice removal for protecting your shingles, which is the reason we use it on every residential and commercial roof.
The tools of the trade, and the conditions they are used in, matter. We use current equipment and follow current safety practice on icy, snow-covered roofs, with licensed and insured professionals doing the work. A roof in January is not the place to improvise.
Gutters often carry part of the problem, since ice grows where water cannot drain. Our commercial and industrial cleaning work includes gutters and roof cleaning, which is worth a look once the winter is over and the dam is gone.
When to call about an ice dam
Call when you see ice building along the eave, long icicles over doors and walkways, or water stains starting to appear inside. Earlier is better than later, because a growing dam is a growing weight of ice on the roof.
We have been helping homeowners and businesses with ice dams for over 50 years. Call us, tell us about the building, and we will give you a free estimate by phone and schedule an appointment.
Metro Cleaning Service, licensed, bonded and insured, helping homeowners and businesses with ice dams for over 50 years. Call (651) 484-9799.
What the roof feels from each method
Chipping and hacking
- Hammers, picks and shovels land on the same surface the ice is stuck to.
- Shingles are brittle in the cold, and a slip of the tool can crack or tear them.
- The roof can come out of the winter with new openings for water to find.
Steam
- Heat does the work, so nothing strikes the shingles.
- Channels melt through the dam and let trapped water drain off the edge.
- It is the method we have found safest for the roof, on homes and commercial buildings alike.
Ice dams are one of the winter jobs; the rest of the year is ventilation. If the building also needs its exhaust looked at, start with commercial and industrial cleaning for roofs and gutters, or commercial air duct cleaning for the air side.