Many of our customers may have ice dams on their roofs as a result of the recent snowstorms. Once an ice dam has formed, dealing with them can be difficult. The safest course may be to hire a professional because of the following dangers:

• Avalanching snow and icicles
• Slippery ladders and roof
• Potential damage to roof shingles and gutters.

If you want to do this work yourself, please take extreme care and follow these recommendations from roofing experts:

Use a roof rake to remove snow buildup from the roof. DO NOT USE A ROOF RAKE NEAR ANY ELECTRICAL WIRING! DO NOT climb on a roof or work on a ladder beneath a roof that has large amounts of snow on it. Use extreme caution on ladders. Remove ice buildup around gutters by melting the ice with calcium chloride (other products may damage the roof shingles). For added effectiveness, purchase a pre-filled tube or put the melting agent inside a sock or pantyhose. This will release the melting agent gradually allowing the water to drip harmlessly to the ground through a channel in the ice dam.

After applying a melting agent, if you must chip the ice, do so very carefully. NEVER strike your roof with an axe, hammer, or anything that will damage the shingles.

Warning signs: Aside from leaks, stains, and damaged ceilings or walls, there are several tell-tale signs that ice dams have occurred or may be imminent:

• Large icicles hanging from the gutters during cold-snaps following snow storms.
• A thick blanket of snow down slope of bare shingles points toward trouble.
• Water dripping from the roof overhang is a hint that a dam has already formed.