Ice Dam Prevention Products

Alternative ways for roof snow removal and Ice Dam Prevention Products

Rather than working on the long-term prevention of ice dam formation that can be achieved through substantial building work such as installing insulation, ventilation or a metal roof, you can purchase certain ice dam prevention products to use if you suspect that there is risk of ice dam formation. These products can be used to deal with snow and ice as it builds up on your roof and to ensure that it does not create an ice dam.

Ice dam prevention products offer a shorter term solution than the installation of insulation, ventilation or metal roofing, but they can still be a good option for ice dam prevention. They are a particularly good choice if you live in an area where you are at less frequent risk from ice dams since it may not be worthwhile to spend a significant amount of time and money on building work on the roof and attic of your home just in order to prevent the formation of ice dams. They can also be significantly cheaper, so you may want to consider using these products even if you live in an area that experiences a lot of snow.

Snow Rakes

A snow rake can be used to clear snow off your roof. Preventing the build up of snow on your roof can make it impossible for ice dams to form on your home.

A snow rake is a long handled rake with a wide head that can be used to remove large strips of snow from the roof of your home. It is fairly light, but sturdy, so that it can remove the snow without damaging the roof itself. However, it is still important to be careful when using a snow rake in order to ensure that the roof will not be harmed.

You will need to be willing to put in the time and effort to use your snow rake whenever snow begins to build up on your roof. This option is, therefore, only suitable if someone in the household is physically capable of clearing the snow.

You will also need to be able to reach up onto the roof using the snow rake. Ideally, you should be able to do this from the ground if your home is not too tall. However, you can also use a snow rake from a stable ladder, although this is more dangerous. If you live in a particularly tall building then a snow rake may not be appropriate for your home since it may not be possible to safely reach the roof and clear the snow. The snow rake only needs to be able to remove snow from around the roof’s edges, not from the entire roof, so you do not need to find a rake that will enable you to clear the entire roof.

Ice Melting Cables

Ice melting cables, once they have been installed, are one of the easiest ways of clearing snow from your roof since they simply need to be switched on to melt the snow. They are, therefore, ideal if you are unable to cope with more physically demanding methods of removal.

Ice melting cables and strips come in a number of different forms. Some of these will be more effective than others, but they can also vary a great deal in terms of their price. Investing in high quality ice melting cables can be a good idea if you want to be able to clear ice dams quickly and easily as soon as you see signs that one is beginning to form.

Some ice melting systems will be more attractive than others as well as being more effective. The best options are those that match the rest of your roof, without standing out too obviously. Ideally, they should not stand out from the rest of your roof during the rest of the year, when there is no covering snow.

The heat can be produced either by electric cables or a hydronic tube system. The heat melts the snow and ice, either to clear a section of the roof or to create a break in the ice dam as it forms so that the water escapes rather than building up on the roof behind the ridge of ice.

Ice melting cables or heat tape can be simple strips to be installed upon the roof, often in a zigzag pattern. The heated cables can also be covered in squares or long plates of metal. These panels will be made from a metal such as aluminum, which can help enhance and spread the heating effect. They can work over a larger area and they can also be designed to blend in with the roofing shingles so that they are more attractive. Exposed heat cables and heat tape tend to be less effective than those which are placed under panels. They are also more likely to be damaged. Other products are intended to be placed only along the edges of the roof, where the ice dams are most likely to form. They can target the most problematic areas rather than being used to heat and clear the entire roof. Ice melting products can also come in the form of mesh mats, which can be fitted across a large area of the roof underneath the roofing material in order to melt the snow.

Different types of ice melting systems can be installed either during the construction of the roof itself or on top of the completed roof. Some systems are installed under the roofing while others are simply fixed on top of the roofing shingles. Heating cables and panels should be set up in the appropriate way for the shape of your roof, particularly focusing on the areas where different parts of the roof meet and along the eaves, gutters and downspouts. Heating cables and strips may be placed along the edges of the roof, where the ice dams would otherwise form, or in vertical or zigzag strips that are designed to melt channels through the ice dams in order to enable water to escape. The heating cables must them be connected to a power supply.

The cables or strips can be turned on when snow or ice begins to build up on the roof. The heat will melt the snow and ice, clearing the roof and preventing ice dam formation. It is important to turn the heating cables off once they have completed their work. If they are left on they may burn out.

Heated ice removal products offer a means of removing snow and ice to prevent ice dams from forming, without having to physically remove it from the roof yourself. You simply turn on the cables or strips when necessary and wait for them to do their work. They are then turned off again.

Snow-melt Salt

Snow-melt salts can be used to remove ice dams from the roof as they begin to fall. However, you should make sure that you avoid using rock salt since this could damage or discolor your roofing. A calcium chloride snow melt will be a better choice. The snow melt can be applied in a snow melt sock in order to ensure its effects are focused on the ice dam itself. It is usually best to use the snow-melt as soon as possible after the ice dam begins to form on your roof since it will be most effective at clearing small amounts of ice.

Manual Labor

Rather than using ice melting cables or snow melt to deal with ice on your roof, it is possible to hack the ice away manually. You can use a sharp implement such as a chisel to break holes in the ice. The melted snow will then be able to escape through these gaps rather than building up and leaking through your roof. It is also possible to melt gaps in the ice dam by pouring warm water over it. These can only be temporary solutions, however. If the weather remains cold, the ice can reform within a few days.

This option requires a lot more work than using ice melting cables or snow melt as you will need to physically break through the ice. It is also more difficult and dangerous since you will need to reach the ice formation by standing on a ladder while you are breaking it apart.

Although it is possible to hire people to clear ice and snow from your roof, but this can be an expensive option and it can take some time.