So how much of a ice dam can build up on the edge of my roof before I need to get concerned? Right now the back of the house the dams are about 3″ high and maybe run back a foot. The tar paper, weather sheild or what ever it is they put on the endge of the roof runs back farther than that. Do I need to be concerned?
Don’t know if this applies to your house or not, but watch out for dams that cause water to build up that may end up running (leaking) into a side wall that intersects the roof. I don’t know the technical term for this type of design.
If you notice some water up there, I’d tend to want to get it out of there, somehow.
Eric
If we dont get anymore snow, then youll be ok. If we get more snow and the right environmental conditions, then they will compound. If it were me, Id relieve the snow from above them, then you have a chance for them to dissipate when the temps moderate.
Havent tried this personaly but i have heard if you fill a few socks with salt and throw them on the roof it will melt channels and reduce the amount of ice buildup.
I have them too, and was wondering the same thing.
I just bought a bucket of the roof melt pucks at Menards.
I tossed them on the roof last night. I will let ya know if they worked this afternoon.
Has anyone else used a product like this?
Raked the snow back from the edge of the roof all ready a couple of feet. Have never done this before in the 15 years we have owned the home but then again this is a special year for snow.
I’d think any ice dams would be a concern. Fortunately for me I have a boring pyramid roof, so there are no edges and corners for it to leak.
Mine started concerning me when the light fixture above my sink (outside wall) started filling with water 
The warm and rain last week helped, and I used a hose from the wash tub in the basement to melt a lot of the ice with hot water.
Mike, do not salt it! Hopefully, you have at least 3′ of ice and water shield at all your eaves. That does a fantastic job of protecting the sub layers.
Here is a link to a previous discussion we just had on this. (I’m just too lazy to retype any of it LOL)
Snow Question
Quote:
My insurance company just sent me information about ice dams and they recommended filling pantyhoses with calcium chloride….not salt! Calcium chloride does not harm shingles.
Technically, calcium chloride is salt, just not table salt 
Quote:
I have them too, and was wondering the same thing.
I just bought a bucket of the roof melt pucks at Menards.
I tossed them on the roof last night. I will let ya know if they worked this afternoon.
Has anyone else used a product like this?
a lot of people here at work have used these pucks, they all seem to say good things about them. I bought a extended rook rake/shovel and drug as much snow as I could off without climbing on roof.
The pucks suck. At least they have for me. Maybe it’s always too cold. I’d shovel the snow off or use a roof rake and get as much of it as you can. Then pound the ice on the edges with a hammer. It’s hard work and you need to stay ahead of it before the ice gets too thick. Getting the snow off will help more ice from forming though.
ANY ice dam scares the crap out of me! 2 years ago, we got them. I did the salt in the panty-hose trick, dumped salt on top of the dams…..chipped it away.
Anyhow, long story short…..we had around $15,000 in total damages!!! a section of our kitchen ceiling came down. An absolute mess. We had water coming down the inside of our wall like mentioned above…and then it worked it’s way back and started dripping onto the ceiling….had a light fixture fill up w/ water. IT WAS BAD!
I have pictures of it, if you want to see them! Thank God for insurance!!!
I had nasty looking dams show up again this winter….and I just paid an outfit $150 to get up and shovel off ALL of my roofs and w/ the shot of warm weather we had…..the dams went away w/ no problems.
DON’T MESS AROUND W/ THESE THINGS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST…..YOU’LL GET HIT BY THEM BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!
good luck!
Oh, geez. They say to not use salt, and it is salt. Wonderful.
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I just bought a bucket of the roof melt pucks at Menards.
I tossed them on the roof last night. I will let ya know if they worked this afternoon.
They are melting the area around them SLOWLY.
Calcium chloride isn’t as caustic as regualr salt. Same stuff we use for trapping b/c it doen’t rust your traps as quick. We remove snow and ice dams @ $20hr but have heard some doing it @ $10 sq just for shoveling.
I spent all of last week removing ice dams with steam heat, works great and no damage to shingles and can open the gutters and down spouts, so you can install heat tape and get things flowing again. melting channels is just a short term fix they seem to freeze back shut.
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