Copyright ©RSC Builders, Inc All Rights Reserved
12.30.26: Help Article
Help! There's An Ice Dam on My Roof. Now What?
If you need to remove ice from the
eve of your roof you can use a couple of methods mentioned below.
The ice storms and heavy snowfall characteristic of cold, precipitous winters can cause the formation of large ice sheets or ice dams on roofs. Ice dams develop on slanted roofs when the escaping heat of a poorly insulated attic melts snow, which runs down the roof and freezes on the colder eves and gutters. Repeated snowmelt, runoff and refreezing can result in dangerously large ice dams. It’s possible for water to pool between an ice dam and a roof, where it can eventually leak into the attic and cause considerable structural damage. Most experts recommend against using salt or sodium chloride to melt roof ice.
Sodium Chloride
Homeowners, businesses and municipalities commonly use sodium chloride, or rock salt, to melt ice on walkways, stairs and streets. Because of it using as highly corrosive nature, most ice removal and roofing experts recommend againslt to melt ice off of roofs. Sodium chloride contains oxidizing agents that can accelerate rust and corrode roofing materials. It can also shorten the lifespan of metal gutters, downspouts and flashings, according to State Farm Insurance. Additionally, the runoff from a liberal application of salt can damage or kill grass and other plantings close to the building. Salt runoff also can damage or discolor exterior brick
Walls and aluminum siding.
Calcium Chloride
Calcium chloride is a high-performance deicer. Like sodium chloride, it’s exothermic, meaning it melts ice by releasing heat. Although sodium chloride is effective down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, calcium chloride still works at temperatures below 0 degrees. The website This Old House suggests filling the leg of discarded pantyhose with calcium chloride and positioning it over the ice dam so that it hangs slightly off the edge of the gutter. As the chemical melts the ice, it creates a channel to release any water trapped against the roof. Most experts,however,do not recommend using calcium chloride on roofs.
Like sodium chloride, calcium chloride contains oxidizing agents that can corrode or damage roofing, siding, gutters and plants.
Ice Dam Removal
Making drainage paths through the ice that sits along the lower edge of a sloped roof allows the runoff of trapped water. You must first expose the ice by clearing away any loose snow. If outdoor power outlets are available, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation recommends using electrical roof deicing cables to heat and melt the ice. By attaching loops of electric deicing cables to a long board positioned just above the roof’s edge, you can create several channels for water runoff. If you don’t have outdoor power, use a non-corrosive deicer such as calcium magnesium acetate, urea, potassium chloride or ammonium sulfate. Such chemicals are less effective than more corrosive deicers, but are much less likely to damage your roof, gutters, siding and nearby landscaping.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
Suspendisse sem lorem ornare non vestibulum ut tempor porttitor est.
Aliquam pulvinar
Suspendisse sem lorem ornare non vestibulum ut
In hac habitasse
m magna congue risus, pulvinar euismod arcu nunc ac turpis.