Rooftop Ice Removal (ice damming)
Ice dams occur on heated buildings with sloping roofs in cold climates with deep snow accumulation. Ice dams on roofs form when accumulated snow forms an insulating layer under cold conditions that would cause the freezing point to be within the snow layer, if it weren't subject to melting. Instead, building heat coming through the roof's surface melts the snow resting on it. This causes meltwater to flow down the roof, until it reaches below a place on the roof's surface that is below freezing—typically at the eaves where there is no building heat. When the meltwater reaches the frozen surface, ice accumulates, growing a barrier that impedes further passage of meltwater off the roof. Ice dams may result in leaks through the roofing material, possibly resulting in damaged ceilings, walls, roof structure and insulation, damage or injury when the ice dam falls off or from attempts to remove ice dams.
The melting of roof snow comes from the combination of three basic causes:
- Air temperatures well below freezing.
- A thick layer of dry snow, which has good insulating capabilities.
- Heat from the building coming through the roof.
Winters in Utah are the perfect recipe for ice dams. Ice buildup can be very dangerous and can cause very expensive damage to your rooftops and rain gutters. Don't risk your safety or damage your roof by removing this yourself! Fisher Power Wash safely removes ice dams without damaging your roofs shingles and rain gutters. Call or text for a free, no hassle estimate. We service all areas in Northern Utah and are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
REMOVAL OPTIONS
When an ice dam occurs there are some maintenance options to remove it:
- Removal of snow from a roof with a special tool called a roof rake. To be successful, the entire roof must be shoveled. Shoveling part way up a roof will cause an ice dam to form at the location where the snow was left, because the meltwater will freeze when it hits the freezing air. This method only removes the snow to allow the ice to start to melt and is not always effective.
- Removal of ice buildup on a roof can be completed by our trained professionals that use special steam equipment to ensure quick and safe removal without causing damage to the roof. Mechanical removal with a hammer, chisel or other tools is likely to damage the integrity of the roof.