Preventing Ice Dams from Forming

How to Prevent Ice Dams

As worrisome as ice dams can be, the good news is that you have several tools in your toolbox for preventing ice dams

1.  Roof raking.  The idea is that you stand on the ground or on a ladder, and use a long rake specifically designed for snow removal to pull the snow off of your roof.  If you rake your roof after every snowstorm or every time your roof accumulates more than 6 inches of snow, you’ll most likely prevent or curb the formation of ice dams on your roof.

2.  Professional roof snow removal.  This entails hiring a company to rake or shovel your roof for you, or in special cases to employ a snow-blower.  (Of course, The Ice Dam Removal Guys gladly offer you roof snow removal service.)

3.  Home inspection, followed by improvements to your insulation and/or ventilation.  The underlying cause of ice dam formation is too much heat collecting in the attic, which melts the snow on the roof, which refreezes and results in ice dams.  By getting a professional inspection you can pinpoint whether your attic needs better insulation, ventilation, or both, so as to prevent ice dams from forming in the first place.