Ice Dam First-Aid

11/23/2020 (Permalink)

A major cause of water damage in the winter is ice damming.  If you suspect you may have an ice dam on your roof, there are steps you can take to help minimize the damage.

• Remove snow from the roof. This eliminates one of the ingredients necessary for the formation of an ice dam.
• A "roof rake" and push broom can be used to remove snow, but may damage the roofing materials.
• In an emergency situation where water is flowing into the house structure, making channels through the ice dam allows the water behind the dam to drain off the roof.

The are all temporary solutions. If you are having an issue with ice damming, a long-term solution needs to be sought.

Source: UMN