While some homeowners get their insulation repaired and make their home winter ready before the snowy season, a lot of us fail to do so and the snow gets us by surprise.
When this happens, an ice dam starts forming on our roof. Once an ice dam develops and is detected by you, then you should contact a residential roofing company right away and get the issue fixed without it causing any further damage to you roof.
Here a re some tips that you can follow to prevent the formation of (or to remove already formed) ice dams on the top of your roof.
Scrape Off All The Snow
In case you leave your ice dam unattended, it’ll keep growing for as long as it’s snowing, and will pose a greater risk to the safely of your roof and home. Take an extendable rake, stand on the ground and scrape off all the snow and ice accumulated to form the ice dam. Avoid doing the process side to side, and move the rake in up and down motions.
Remove The Ice Properly
The snow can easily be scrapped off by using a rake, but most if the ice would still be sitting frozen on the top of your roof. That is why you should use a ladder, and an ice pick to remove thick ice layer on the roof. Remember that you only have to open the gutters enough for the rest of the ice to dismantle automatically.
Use a De-Icer
De-icers are chemicals in the form of small crystals that can be bought at most of the hardware stores. These chemicals can be sprinkled on top of the ice dams to help the ice and now melt quickly. Before sprinkling a de-icer, make sure that the gutters are open, if not, use an ice pick to open them first.