Home › Learn From The Pros › An Overview of Ice Dam Removal Methods An Overview of Ice Dam Removal Methods January 13, 2021 Icicles hanging on the eaves of your house may look captivating, but they spell trouble for your roof. When left neglected, they can turn into ice dams, which can loosen shingles, promote mold growth and cause water to leak into your home. This usually happens when the roof has poor ventilation. There are several ways to deal with ice dams until you can get an expert to fix your roof for good. One of the leading gutter contractors in the area discusses further: Steaming Low pressure steam is the safest and best way to remove ice dams from your home, it is important to know the difference between steam and hot water when removing ice from your roof. Steam is water that has been heated beyond 212 degrees Fahrenheit, this is what you should look for in roof ice removal. The goal is to get the ice off of your roof in the least damaging way as possible, so always look for low pressure and high temp steam. The other way some people remove the ice is with high pressure hot water pressure washers, DO NOT DO THIS! While sometimes faster the end result will be very costly damage to your roof. Using a Snow Rake You can also use a roof snow rake, which usually features wheels to protect shingles and can extend up to about 20 ft. You can use this rake from the ground to scrape the snow down off your roof. Be careful not to use a side-to-side motion as it could knock over the shingles. Applying a Calcium Chloride Deicer If ice dams have already formed on the edge of your roof, then calcium chloride deicer could be a more effective option. This method involves filling a nylon stocking with calcium chloride, then laying it on top of your ice-filled seamless gutters. You may need to reposition the stocking with a rake or a broom, but once it’s up there, the content will leak through it and melt the ice. Keep in mind that this method can be risky for your plants as they can die from overexposure to the chemical, so make sure to protect those below your gutters if there are any. These ice dam removal methods come with potential risks, that’s why it’s best to leave this job to professionals like Advantage Seamless Gutters. We have the proper training and equipment to safely clear ice and snow from your property. You can also count on us for quality gutter cleaning services. Call us today at (888) 570-5778 for a free estimate. We serve Baxter and surrounding areas in MN.