How to Stop Ice Dams for Good

Ice dams can cause your roof to leak, and large amount of icicles to form, creating a safety hazard. To prevent damage to your roof, you should take a few basic steps to stop any ice dams that have already formed from getting larger, melt the problem areas, and prevent any ice dams from forming in the future.

An ice dam occurs when snow falls, melts slight, freezes, and repeats a slight freeze thaw cycle, creating a large sheet of ice on the edges of your house. Spectacular icicles are normally a good indication that you have a significant ice dam forming.

If you can't get on the roof immediately, and you have a leak, try caulking around where the leak is occurring. Also, if the leak is in your attic, you can aim a fan at the leak to encourage the water to freeze, preventing more leaks. Really, these are stop gap methods until you can follow the process below.

Step 1: Use a roof rake to remove as much snow from the surface of your roof as possible. This will prevent any water from feeding the size of the current ice dams.

TIP: If you don't have a roof rake, you can use a broom to remove as much snow as possible. Avoid going on the roof to remove snow: there is a large chance that you could slip and fall.

Step 2: Remove any existing ice dam. If your roof is already leaking, warm water to melt the ice and encourage it to slide off of the roof of your house is the best option.

However, if the ice dam has yet to leak and the weather is relatively warm, you can use salt to melt the ice on the roof and clear the ice dam. Once the ice dam is removed, however, be sure to rinse the roof with warm water to prevent the salt from damaging your shingles.

Step 3: Install roof heating cables to prevent further ice dams. Roof heating cables normally cover the last 24 inches or so of any roof. They are in a zig-zag formation, and are warm to the touch. The heat they provide keeps the ice melting, preventing a dam from forming.

TIP: Don't wait for an ice dam to form before getting roof heating cables that will prevent one. If you live in an area where ice dams are common, they will be a worthwhile investment.