Ice Dam Removal & Mitigation

What are Ice Dams?

Ice dams occur when heat from the interior of your home melts the bottom layer of snow on your roof. As the snow melts, water runs down your roof and refreezes at the eve. As ice builds up at the eve, the pressure and weight of the ice pushes water underneath your shingles and into your house, which can lead to massive water damage.

Please understand that ice dams need to be removed properly. Common approaches that get rid of ice in other ways, such as hammers, salt, and de-icer sprays will damage your roof. Do not use these! Instead, call us.

The good news is your homeowner’s insurance policy may help cover all or some of the cost of treating ice dams, and we’ll work with you and your policy provider to sort out those details.

How are Ice Dams Removed?

We’re one of the only roofing contractors in Michigan that use a high-pressure steam system to remove ice dams. It’s the fastest, most effective solution and causes the least damage to your roof. We’ve invested in solutions like this because we know they’re what works the best.

How to Prevent Ice Dams?

We offer a variety of solutions to prevent ice dams from forming in the future on your roof. Because what causes ice dams to form can be different house to house, our recommendations are unique to each project, but may include one or some of the following options.

Does Increasing Ventilation Help with Ice Dams?

Adding more ventilation under the roof deck can help keep the cool air flowing, so it stays above freezing, thereby avoiding the warm up that causes the snow to melt in the first place.

Does Heat Tape Work for Ice Dams?

Also called a heat cable, this electric line is installed in a zig-zag pattern along the edge of your roof. It keeps the snow melt from refreezing, so it can flow harmlessly into your gutters and to the ground.

Will Insulation Help with Ice Dams?

By adding more insulation in the attic, ceiling, or elsewhere, warm air is prevented from rising up to melt snow on the roof.

Reworking Your Existing Ventilation

This can improve air flow, so cool air circulates just below your roof keeping it above freezing so the snow on your roof doesn’t melt.

Our Service Areas

As a Michigan-based roofing company, we’re no strangers to ice dams throughout our service areas.

Residential Roofing in West Michigan

Our Ada, MI office serves the surrounding West Michigan communities.

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Residential Roofing in Northern Michigan

Based out of Traverse City, MI office, we work in Northern Michigan.

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Ice Dam FAQs

Can gutters help prevent ice dams?

Keeping your gutters free of debris helps snow melt to flow freely, so it can’t freeze. When it can’t freeze, you can’t get ice dams. Clean out your gutters before the first snowfall.

Does using a roof rake help prevent ice dams?

Yes! Use a roof rake, also called a snow rake, to remove snow along the edges of your roof, and in any deep valleys.

Does Ice damming reduce the life of my roof?

Yes, ice dams can cause substantial damage to the shingles, reducing the lifespan of the roof.