Seattle isn’t exactly blizzard city, but it does see occasional snowfall. With winter still in full swing, you need to watch out for ice dams forming on your roof. Ice accumulation can cause extensive damage for residential and commercial roofs. We’ll lay out a few methods for getting rid of icicles forming on the edge of the roof.

How Ice Dams Form

Ice dams form when water collects on the soffit and gutters and then freezes. Ice dams are bad news because some of the ice can melt and leak into the interior, causing damage to the ceilings, walls, and insulation.

How to Remove Ice Dams from the Roof

Most people remove ice dams using the good ol’ hack-and-slash method. This requires some muscle power, but it’s effective. Simply break apart the ice using a hammer, axe, or icepick. We must stress that while this method works, you also risk damaging the roof panels or shingles if you apply too much force. Some homeowners have even resorted to homemade blow torches. We can’t recommend this for the obvious safety risk.

A viable alternative is to use a roof rake. You can get this nifty tool at your local hardware store. You risk little damage to your roof, and you can remove most of the ice without having to climb a ladder.

You can also prevent ice dams from forming in the first place by waterproofing your roof and gutters. This is something we provide as part of our additional services.

Protect Your Roof This Winter

Seattle may or may not see a lot of snow this winter. If it does, your home or business may be prone to ice accumulation. Contact Roofing & Construction, LLC to fortify your roof. You would be wise not to shrug off the potential of ice dams on your roof simply because the Pacific Northwest isn’t the snowiest area in the country.

Edited by Justin Vorhees

Roof Waterproofing for Seattle Homes and Businesses

Serving customers in Bellevue, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Mukilteo, Redmond, Snoqualmie