3 Reasons Ice Dam Removal Is For Professionals, Not DIYers

Ice dam removal is not a DIY project. Ice dam prevention is.

Never try to remove ice dams by yourself – you can cause harm to your roof, injury to yourself, and cost yourself a lot of money in the process. If an ice dam has already formed, ice dam removal needs to be taken care of by the professionals.

At BD Exteriors, we use low-pressure, 150 PSI steam, so we don’t damage your roof. Our water is heated to between 250°-300°F to melt away sections of ice for easy shoveling by our team. Steam is the only way to handle ice dam removal safely, efficiently and effectively.

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1. DIY Ice Dam Removal Can Damage Your Home

The first thing many people think of when they see ice dams is to use a shovel, hatchet or another implement to break the ice dam up or create a channel for water to flow.

The problem is that the ice is now frozen to your roofing material. By pushing on the ice dam or hitting it, your force is transferred to the shingle, possibly damaging or removing it.

Likewise, when you attempt to get up on a ladder beside your home – especially in wet or snowy conditions – you can easily fall, damaging your roofing, gutters or siding with whatever you had in your hands at the time.

If you rent some sort of steam device or a pressure washer, you can also damage your shingles or roofing. We specifically use low-pressure steam to prevent roof damage.

2. DIY Ice Dam Removal Can Hurt You

Attempting ice dam removal on your own can likely end in injury or worse. Without training and experience, getting on a roof or ladder can quickly end with a fall, especially in ice and snow conditions.

If you’re trying to dump boiling water on the ice dam to melt it away, think about it first – you’ll be using two hands to balance a pot of 200+°F water while climbing a metal ladder. The ladder may be slick with ice, snow or water already, and attempting to lean over gutters to pour that water onto a slope pointed at your body is a bad idea. There are many ways this can go wrong.

Using a hair dryer to blow hot air can end in electrocution – remember, you’re dealing with a lot of water.

3. DIY Ice Dam Removal Can Waste Money

You can also waste a lot of money trying to do ice dam removal by yourself. From “As Seen On TV” salt pucks which barely do anything, to steam machine rentals, and possibly a hospital visit for yourself or a repair bill for your roof.

Calling a professional for ice dam removal is your safest, most efficient and cost-effective bet to keep water from entering your home. If the ice dam hasn’t formed yet, be sure to keep snow off of your roof – just do it safely.

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