Tag Archives: snow

How to Get Rid of Ice Dams Fast. 4 Easy Tips

If you live somewhere that suffers particularly cold winters, you might be used to seeing ice dams in the local area. You should know that if you see this appear on your roof, you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

Ice can cause severe damage to your roof, even if it has been built for cold-weather climates. If you live somewhere that doesn’t normally get this sort of weather, you need to get rid of them even more quickly as your roof might not be as strong as it could be.

Ice dams are risky to your roof because they put a lot of additional weight on the structure. This can cause problems with your roof. Ice can also cause leaks and will obviously lead to a lot of liquid when the ice melts. Ice is particularly problematic on flat roofs but it’s also a problem on all common pitched roofs in cold locations.

How to get rid of ice dams fast

If you’ve got issues with ice and want to know what to do about it, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re going to look at some of the best ways on how to get rid of ice dams fast on your roof so that you can preserve the integrity of your roof and get back to normal.

Not only that, we’ll also have a look at some long-term solutions as well as preventative measures to stop it happening again.

Why do ice dams form? how to get rid of ice dams fast 1

Ice dams form in cold weather (below freezing), as you can probably imagine, but they’re mainly the result of snow that’s melted and then refrozen. A lot of the time, they form because of poor ventilation.

Ventilation from a warm roof can make snow melt and cause droplets, which then refreeze as they fall off the roof overhang and have moved away from the warmth of the roof. This refreezing creates a barrier that stops any more water running down the roof and the ice continues to build up.

How to get rid of ice on roofs immediately

While this sort of ice build-up needs longer-term care like making sure ventilation is fixed (which we’ll look at shortly), you probably want to know how to get rid of recently formed ice straight away, to prevent further damage to your roof. Let’s have a look…

  • One of the most obvious choices is with a hatchet or ice pick. Simply pick away at the ice and remove it steadily and carefully. You could also use a crowbar for this. Make sure you don’t chip away any parts of your roof, and be careful. Climbing up on your roof is dangerous at the best of times, but especially in icy weather. So be extremely careful, make sure you’ve got the right safety equipment and know what you’re doing.
  • Another option is to use a chemical de-icer. This is similar to the sort you get for cars. They can contain a range of different chemicals, but their job is to slowly melt the ice with a chemical reaction. Again, be careful when getting up onto your roof and applying the de-icer. Some de-icers might be able to be applied from distance without actually getting onto your roof, so these might be a good option. Another way to get de-icer on your roof without getting up on the roof is by filling net bags and throwing them up there. This might not provide the whole coverage and isn’t the best solution, but it could work with smaller amounts of ice.
  • A cheaper (and easier to apply) option could be using a hose to spray warm water. This can melt the ice, just make sure the water is hot enough to not cool down and form ice itself, as this could make the problem even worse.
  • The best option might be to hire a professional firm to come in and take care of your ice problems, The right roofing companies will have experience doing this safely, so you can sit back and relax while they take care of it.

How to prevent ice in the long-term

Now that you’ve actually removed the initial ice, you might want to make sure this doesn’t happen again so you don’t have to keep doing it. Waiting for the ice to form before removal isn’t a great idea, as you’ll be risking ice forming that’s too hard to remove or ultimately roof damage occurring from the weight of the ice.

To prevent ice forming before it happens, there are a few things you need to look at. Firstly, this sort of ice is formed from melted snow, so the first step is to make sure snow doesn’t form or stay around on your roof. In some areas with a lot of snow, this might require a steeper pitch.

Reroofing can be expensive, so there are a few other things you can do first. Try removing snow quickly as soon as it falls. Remove anything on the roof that might be stopping the snow falling off easily. Dislodge large clumps of snow before it has a chance to cause damage to your roof by turning to snow.

Ice dams like this are normally the result of poor ventilation. That’s because the snow melts from roof heat and then re-freezes as it falls away from the heat. The solution to this is better ventilation.

You could have a system whereby the outside of the roof doesn’t get warm enough to melt the snow. However, this isn’t really the best option since heated roofs are one of the best ways of clearing both snow and ice.

A better idea is to have enough warmth that the snow doesn’t refreeze as it moves away from your roof. Heated cables around the edges of your roof would mean that the melted snow would simply fall off the roof as water rather than refreezing. That’s one of the best long-term options for keeping your roof clear of ice and preventing long term damage,

Roof Snow Removal Service – Everything You Need To Know

Feeling snowed under? If the winter’s been hitting your home hard – you might have plenty to think about. One thing many people forget when they’ve been hit by a blizzard is the integrity and safety of their roof. In this article , we’re going to look at why clearing the snow from your roof is important – along with what to look for in a high-quality snow removal service.

A completely-snow capped roof might look great – but they do present some risks. These risks tend to fall under two categories:

1) Is the roof over-loaded to the extent where it might collapse?

2) Could the snow fall off and injure passers-by (or yourself)?

While both of these risk factors aren’t always applicable to every kind of snow-loaded roof – we need to look a bit more closely at both of them so you can decide if it’s a problem for you.

Heavy snow could damage the integrity of your roof

snow removal service - damaged roofFirst and foremost – roofs aren’t built to withstand any and all pressure levels. In fact, some cheaper rules might be less-able to carry a load than you think.

One thing to remember with snowy roofs – you might think you’re more at risk in an area that has lots of snow each year, but that isn’t always the case. Perhaps counter-intuitively – it’s those areas that suffer a random and unexpected heavy winter which could be the most problematic.

That’s because most areas that get regular snow will normally have homes that are built with that in mind. Your home should already be able to withstand a bit snow-storm if architects and builders were aware of the weather risks in your area when the property was built.

It’s those places where snow is hardly ever an issue that you need to be careful in – especially if your home was put together under the assumption that snow will never be an issue and the most your roof is going to have to deal with is a bit of wind and rain.

How to tell if your roof is at risk

snow removal service inspectionHomes in different areas are built to different standards regarding how much pressure they can take. While there probably won’t be a specific figure for your exact property, if you can find out how much pressure your roof is likely to be able to handle – do it. If you need to, consult a structural engineer or some other industry professional who should be able to give you a good idea about the type of snow removal service you need if any and if your home can stand a bit of snow.

A general estimate for the pressure of 1-foot of snow is around 15lbs per square foot – but this can vary quite a lot depending on the type and intensity of the snowfall.

Industry experts recommend that if you’ve had 2 or more feet of snow in your area – you should definitely start thinking about getting the snow removed.

If you’re looking for actual warning signs of a roof collapse in your home – things can be a bit tricky in the cold weather. That’s because you would normally check for leaks – but these are hard to find if everything’s frozen.

Still, you can look for signs of water damage along with cracks in the drywall and potentially cracked roof joists if you can access the roof cavity or attic.

If you hear cracking – you might be at immediate risk of a roof collapse and should exit the building immediately.

You might also be able to smell unusual odours or have trouble opening doors due to unexpected pressure loads. These could also be an indication that your roof is in danger.

What sort of roofs are at risk?

As we already touched on – those that aren’t built to withstand heavy snow loads are at more risk, especially in an unexpected snow storm. But that doesn’t mean all homes built in areas that experience a lot of snow are necessarily safer. It all depends on the design, construction and maintenance of your roof.

If you’ve got an old roof that’s needed some work for a while, a heavy snow-load could be enough to push it over the edge. You might also want to be careful with older homes that have insulated roofs. This type of insulation might help for energy-efficiency – but they don’t help in snow storms. That’s because a bit of heat exiting your roof is a great way to melt some of the snow and address the problem.

How to prevent heavy snow loads affecting your roof

The best way to fix a snow-loaded roof is to prevent it getting too overloaded in the first place. If it’s safe to dislodge smaller amounts of snow with a long tool before it gets too deep – then do it. Having a roof that can emit the right amount of heat could also help you – as you’ll be able to melt the snow gradually so it never gets too deep. You could even use boiling water for this, but only if it’s safe to access your roof.

Large deposits of snow could also be a safety risk if they slide

The other main risk to your roof with heavy snowfall – other than roof collapse, is snow slides. If your roofs have a fall-off that could be in the way of passers-by or other areas people exit or enter your home, you might want to be careful. Again, you can use the same methods we’ve just looked at to try and dislodge or melt the snow. Otherwise, make sure walkways and at-risk areas are well sign-posted so people can keep clear.

Is it time for a new roof or a snow removal service?


Older roofs are often more at risk from issues during heavy snow. While a new roof can be expensive, it might be the right thing for your home – especially if you get one that can withstand tons of pressure. If you’re just looking for a short-term solution or don’t get a lot of snow in your area, a snow removal service could be the right choice. There should be a few high-quality snow-removal specialists in your area that are experience in clearing roofs in winter and making them safe again.