Best Way To Remove Ice Dams From Gutters

Don t go out there with a hammer and try to chisel the ice out.

Best way to remove ice dams from gutters.

If you must do something. Run the other end of the hose into the gutter and turn on the water to melt the ice. 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. 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.

A steamer is like a pressure washer except that the water is hot. You can do a lot of damage to your gutters this way. Melt the ice with hot water. If necessary use a long handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position.

A simple way to stop an ice dam in its tracks is to refreeze it. Yes it s the safest and best way to lessen the effect of ice dams. Hook up a garden hose to the hot water spigot that your washing machine is hooked up to. 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.

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. 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. It melts the ice away without damaging the roofing. 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.

The increased airflow will push cold air towards the water causing the water to refreeze. 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. If you re interested check out our tutorial on using roof rakes. In fact once your gutters are frozen solid the best thing to do is nothing and just wait for a thaw.

Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter.