Clearing and Preventing Ice Dams

Living in Minnesota our temperature change fluctuates often which can cause Ice dams in the winter. Ice Dams can form on any roof and it is best to take care of them as soon as you start noticing them or before they start forming.

Ice dams form when the snow melts and runs down your roof and then refreezes on the edge, sometimes also forming icicles. When we continue to get cold weather and then warmer days this can continue to happen and is best to keep an eye on.

The longer you let the ice dams build up the more snow is able to melt and that water could start leaking into your house. If the water starts leaking into your house this can be a very expensive fix. You can prevent these expensive fixes by clearing the snow and ice dams off your roof safely. Anytime there is 4 inches or more of snow on your roof you need to get the all of the edges cleared off. Your whole roof doesn’t have to be cleared but a minimum of 1 foot past your overhang should be. Clearing this snow helps expose your shingles and the snow can melt naturally without building up. This can easily be done with a roof rake but, if you aren’t comfortable clearing the snow off your roof call Lutgen Companies and we can come out and get it cleared off for you.