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ice removal from edge of roof

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echo4747

Golden Member
Due to prolonged cold and snow (western NY) most people have thick ice buildup at the edge of their roofs/gutters. This causes ice damming and can lead to water leaking into your home when you get a good thaw. Now that temps are expected to be near above freezing for the next 12-18hrs most people resort to chopping or breaking off thru the ice with a hatchet or mini sledge hammer. The area I need remove ice build up has ground ( pavers with a with glossy sealer) much too slick to safely use a ladder. I have an area where I could safely use a ladder an gain access to the roof. I was thinking of using a pressure washer fed from a hot water line. I was thinking of using the narrowest nozzle on the pressure washer and blast grooves thru the ice ( 9-12 inches apart). My thinking is even if I don't remove all the ice I will create channels for the water from thawing ice to find its way off the roof. I have never seen anyone do this before. so I'm open to alternate suggestions . Anybody think this would work?
 
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blasting a pressure washer against the tabs will do just what you don't want, namely force water in past the protection. No easy answers here.
 
skyking said:
blasting a pressure washer against the tabs will do just what you don't want, namely force water in past the protection. No easy answers here.
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I would be using the pressure washer while standing on the roof spraying the water down at the ice toward the ground( not up under the shingles) I probably don't even need to go all the way thru the ice to the shingle just cut grooves deep enough to eliminate an ice dam
 
Isn't there a membtane under the first 4 or 5 feet of roof to prevent ice dams from causing leaks? There is little naturally occurring ice where I live, so I've never had to deal with it.
 
That is OK from above. and good call on not going all the way through the ice. A pressure washer will destroy comp shingles.
 
how solid is the ice? does your local hardware store still have any roof rakes left? (the proper solution that might be too late for this season)
 
Greenman said:
Isn't there a membtane under the first 4 or 5 feet of roof to prevent ice dams from causing leaks?
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It depends on the year of construction and the requirements in place in that municipality. There was a time where I live that they required nothing underneath shingles at all. Right on the bare plywood was A-OK. That mode of thinking didn't last long.
 
Greenman said:
Isn't there a membtane under the first 4 or 5 feet of roof to prevent ice dams from causing leaks? There is little naturally occurring ice where I live, so I've never had to deal with it.
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roof was stripped and re shingled 5-6 years ago. There is a rubber type membrane (the best I can remember its either 3 or 4 ft wide). Anyway, last evening I decided against the pressure washer and just used a garden hose with a spray nozzle hooked to the hot water line. I was able to cut three channels thru the ice about 18 in apart. with the 50 gal hot water tank my home has. I waited about an hour for another batch of water to reheat and was able to cut three more channels thru the ice. The area of concern with the ice buildup is about 10-12ft section. I guess time will tell if its going to be successful or not.
 
echo4747 said:
roof was stripped and re shingled 5-6 years ago. There is a rubber type membrane (the best I can remember its either 3 or 4 ft wide). Anyway, last evening I decided against the pressure washer and just used a garden hose with a spray nozzle hooked to the hot water line. I was able to cut three channels thru the ice about 18 in apart. with the 50 gal hot water tank my home has. I waited about an hour for another batch of water to reheat and was able to cut three more channels thru the ice. The area of concern with the ice buildup is about 10-12ft section. I guess time will tell if its going to be successful or not.
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Personally, I think you made a wise choice. Much too easy IMO to damage the shingles with a pressure washer. :thumbsup:
 
I had ice build up thick on my gutters. I was concerned about the same an ice dam. I took a small hammer the other day and hit the ice and broke it in to chunks which slid right off of the gutters. Didn't need a ladder being the back of my house gutters was able to reach by reaching out full length. It did help to run the water in and out of my gutters instead of running over the top and drip off of the icicles. I have worked many water damages due to ice dams. Not a pretty site seeing the damage they can cause.
 
I spent a few hours shoveling all the snow off my roof for that exact reason. No snow = no extra water above where the ice dam is. I wasn't worried about sliding off, as the bottom 4 feet was a level roof (i.e., ice built up so much that the top of the ice at the edge is level with the roof 4 feet in.) You can also melt the channels in the ice dam - I've seen it recommended to fill a stocking or pantyhose leg with calcium chloride - not sodium chloride as that apparently is bad for the roof. Toss the salt sock on the ice dam and it'll melt its way through.
 
DrPizza said:
I spent a few hours shoveling all the snow off my roof for that exact reason. No snow = no extra water above where the ice dam is. I wasn't worried about sliding off, as the bottom 4 feet was a level roof (i.e., ice built up so much that the top of the ice at the edge is level with the roof 4 feet in.) You can also melt the channels in the ice dam - I've seen it recommended to fill a stocking or pantyhose leg with calcium chloride - not sodium chloride as that apparently is bad for the roof. Toss the salt sock on the ice dam and it'll melt its way through.
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I knew there was a reason I lived in California, no snow must be it.

Isn't there people who will take care of those issues for a small monthly fee? Perhaps the guys that do yard care in the summer switch to snow removal in the winter?
 
Greenman said:
I knew there was a reason I lived in California, no snow must be it.

Isn't there people who will take care of those issues for a small monthly fee? Perhaps the guys that do yard care in the summer switch to snow removal in the winter?
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Actually, I just saw an ad on facebook from a couple of guys who do snow and ice removal from roofs. Last I noticed, a few people were asking them if they're insured. My roof: 1 story house. I'll have to be in pretty bad shape before I paid someone. Even more stupid would be to pay someone to do it for me, then pay a gym for a membership so I could work out. And, what a workout I got - up to 20" deep on the roof. The weeping cherry tree in my front yard has been buried. On the back of the house, I used to need stairs to get up into the hot tub. Now, it's a step down. I was working in the garage and one of the pyrenees looked through the garage window - his head was well above my head. Scared the bejeesus out of me - it was like unexpectedly coming face to face with an 8 foot tall polar bear.
 
I wonder when the snow in my front yard will be gone. (Western, NY). Anubis lives about an hour to the East; I suspect he can see green grass in spots. All I have is white, and a pile about 6 feet high next to the sidewalk.

I wonder if I tried, how long could I keep that snow from melting? (Cover in foil) July? August?
 
DrPizza said:
I wonder when the snow in my front yard will be gone. (Western, NY). Anubis lives about an hour to the East; I suspect he can see green grass in spots. All I have is white, and a pile about 6 feet high next to the sidewalk.

I wonder if I tried, how long could I keep that snow from melting? (Cover in foil) July? August?
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I also reside in in WNY (Erie County Fairgrounds area) After this past week of slow melting, I am now able to see some grass yesterday in small areas where snow was the shallowest. On average, I estimate a current depth of 12" and more where the snow typically drifts. Even though you know the grass is under the snow it always an uplifting feeling to see it for the first time in months.

* My ice buildup on the edge of the roof harmlessly melted away and is thankfully now a non issue.
 
DrPizza said:
I wonder when the snow in my front yard will be gone. (Western, NY). Anubis lives about an hour to the East; I suspect he can see green grass in spots. All I have is white, and a pile about 6 feet high next to the sidewalk.
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I can see where my septic tank is. Spring is coming.
 
DrPizza said:
I wonder when the snow in my front yard will be gone. (Western, NY). Anubis lives about an hour to the East; I suspect he can see green grass in spots. All I have is white, and a pile about 6 feet high next to the sidewalk.

I wonder if I tried, how long could I keep that snow from melting? (Cover in foil) July? August?
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this morning I could see a lot of grass but we get a lot of wind through here and a lot of it had blown away earlier, front is still all white, also where it was shovele/snowblown there are still piles

we had an ice buildup issue this winter, only reason we even noticed was because there was water dripping out of the light fixture in the first floor bathroom
bathroom has its own roof, that has a shallow pitch, gonna have to redo all the sheetrock in it
 
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tsiunltdus said:
I had ice build up thick on my gutters. I was concerned about the same an ice dam. I took a small hammer the other day and hit the ice and broke it in to chunks which slid right off of the gutters. Didn't need a ladder being the back of my house gutters was able to reach by reaching out full length. It did help to run the water in and out of my gutters instead of running over the top and drip off of the icicles. I have worked many water damages due to ice dams. Not a pretty site seeing the damage they can cause.
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This is why I run heat tape through my gutters every fall (remove it in spring so the summer sun doesn't destroy it)

My gutters always stay 100% clear as long as I run it when it snows and once the sun comes out to start the melt process
 
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