Ice Dams: how to prevent them, how to remove them

[@billhucker2456]

This is by far the best explanation of roof dams and their causes. Thank you so much! Thank you so much!

[@JimMelcher]

Best video on the subject I’ve seen, and this is about my eighth. 🎉

[@johnbirman5840]

Thank you so much. Amusing on some of the more “bizarre” solutions. I particularly laughed at the ice pick “solution” vs the axe: Big Holes...Little Holes - har har. I hope you got a lot of customers from this video! Cheers from Ohio.

[@gkinner]

That was an awesome video! Thank you for all your information on the subject as I have a 1 1/2 story house with major ice dams that I had no idea what and why they were forming.

[@kenthaugerud9519]

Very complete and informative. Thank you for taking the time to explain the process.

[@RealtorNickCurtis]

This is by far the best explanation of ice dams I've found anywhere. I already was a fan of your columns in "Family Handyman" magazine and was happy to find your channel with more excellent information. I just ordered a roof rake and cleared off the snow I could reach with my broom in the meantime. And I'm eyeing a thermal imaging camera so I can properly seal up my attic air leaks this spring. Thanks for getting me on the right track!

[@shmillert]

Thank you! Great info and I've learned so much to deal with our huge ice dams on a 1904 3 story house in St. Paul.

[@shenlc1992]

Thank you for this great video. I would recommend putting them into time-stamped sections/chapters so that it's easier for people to revisit and also good for social media dissemination.

[@Streamwolf8]

Super helpful! We have an ice dam where the main house meets the addition (kitchen) the previous owner put on... Separate attic, nearly impossible to get into, and bet they skimped on air sealing/insulating.

[@PreachBetter]

Best video I've watched on ice dams. Thanks for the information.

[@eddiepesich921]

Great video! I was looking for calcium chloride when I found it. You saved me the expense and embarrassment of calcium chloride filled panty hose on my roof. This Old House even suggests doing that! So I bought a roof rake instead and got to work. You also showed me all the things I have to get fixed. My house has pretty much all those problems you showed. Wow! Comprehensive and informative. Thank you. Too bad I'm not in your area or I would have you fix it.

[@billb.2673]

This is without a doubt the best video ever done on the subject. Bravo.

[@KhmerMinnesnowta]

I'm watching this while I'm having a little ice stamp in my house. Greetings from Minnesota with a lot of snow and very cold!

[@darwinbeachem5412]

This was one of the most informative videos I have ever watched on Ytube! Thanks. (I live in MN so really fits).

[@DaneNorman]

This video has given me a lot of things to look at this spring, when I can actually get in my attic without freezing!

[@usaatt2]

Reuben, Great informative video. Thank you! However I have a different situation. I recently purchased a flipped home. They put a gas furnace in the attic. Talk about a bypass! The roof directly above the furnace never-ever has any snow on it. What would you recommend in this case? Thanks, Jim in Maryland

[@amandan3809]

Same! Illinois our furnace is in the attic. Talk about heat loss issues. Significant snow this year and now we have dams and completely full and frozen gutters.

[@mikefahlenkamp9084]

I have literally had it rain inside my hose...to be more precise I swear I heard thunder...the ice damn was extending from my 2 foot soffit soffit up another 2 feet...I climbed up on the roof scooped off a foot of snow and broke 2 to 3 inches of ice with a 2 lb hammer...you're right that ventilation means very little....that warm air leaking into the attic is tuff to stop in an older home...excellent information thanks

[@keithtwynam5255]

Excellent video. Provided so much information (great visual aids) and didn't make it boring.

[@tofuninja7061]

Hey, great job on this video. I watched the This Old House video before this and yours was way better. Thank You

[@ShermVibes]

I did the same! I agree!!

[@beautimuschristian]

Same. I agree

[@andrenabhan2186]

Thanks that was a very good explanation and a lot of examples and information thank you again.

[@Aquaductroofingsystems]

At 19:27 you describe what we call a "cold roof". In Colorado's mountains, near ski areas, for instance, these are often built from the start. However, It is a relatively inexpensive add-on to a concurrent re-roof project.

[@freindlycannuck1591]

Wow great video! And probably the best advice you gave to do it yoursefers would be to throw salt directly on the ice dam or better still some ice melt as I'm not sure if pure salt could damage the shingles! I say this because you have shown that the salt by itself had produced these channels almost immediately! Great advice, thank you!

[@deborahgarner7860]

Best video. Very informative

[@andreah6379]

I want to hear more about this subject but now I am confused about soffit ventilation. Yikes. I hope whoever I hire is going to do right by me and my home. Wow. Now I am going to worry. Roof rake. Going to Ace tomorrow! Thank you for such comprehensive education!

[@mohammadreza7446]

Thank you. Great information. I think I found the cause of the leaking water issues in my house.

[@johnwalsh5123]

That was an awesome video! I live up by Brainerd MN and this year was bad for this type of stuff! We had our first snow fall this year that was very wet and it stuck to everything! Broke tree limbs etc. so it stuck to the roofs as well so you basically started out with one big sheet of ice on most of your roof and then it got cold so if you have any heat leaking through your attic it’s not good the dam could really start anywhere on your roof.

[@patriciaadams4171]

I'm from Wisco and he sounds like I'm listening to one of my 3 brilliant hard-working uncles, all R.I.P.

[@harreetteB477]

I live in New England, but climate change/global warming is causing snow, ice, freezing in more southern areas! Now more than ever, your videos are extremely informative and helpful. You answered all my questions and saved me time, effort and money! Thank you!

[@ronbattiston2468]

Thanks Reuben. We are located in Northern Ontario and we ended up with an ice dam this year. I really appreciate your advice on how some ice damn removal methods just don't work. Before I saw your video I was going to try a couple of them but won't now. I did buy a snow removal rake which helped a bit but it just removed the snow. Darn ice!

[@rtc2002]

Good job. Lots of truth with no sugar coating.

[@FollowMagicBrad]

Thanks for sharing your experience

[@jackcarey6044]

EXCELLENY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.

[@larrysydow355]

This guy is great. I understand my problem and how to fix it.........wish he would come and fix it for me!!!!

[@MrAbeebaby]

Thanks so much for your video. Unfortunately I have a 1 1/2 story, and was determined (before watching the video) to fixing the air circulation in the attic. I've since decided to fix the air leakage into the attic and possibly add heating cables. Btw, I am already using a roof rake, which helps.

[@donl3381]

Even a year later your video is still very much so appreciated.. Thank you 🙏

[@winterbliz]

Any recommendations for insulation specialists and/or ice dam steamer agencies in the MN metro area?

[@TonyStagge]

Very thorough. Thank you !!!

[@LauraKidd-b1m]

very informative

[@larrycrookshanks1646]

Here's the main reason why a lot of people have ice water leaking in during the winter. Number one make sure that you have 6' of ice shield installed on your roof if you live in high snow load areas. Then make sure that the ice shield is installed 3-4" down over the gutter board and behind the gutter. This is the number one mistake that shinglers make. If you have no soffit venting then get it installed. If you have multiple valleys dumping in a short gutter area then install high end gutter heat cables in the gutter across the bottom and down the downspout,and 6-8' up the valleys. I recommend Ray Chem cables.These cables eat electricity but you can turn them on and off to save electricity. Make sure you have proper ridge venting. If you have dormers at the lower roof area with dead air space then drill rafters with 2" hole saw to allow some air movement. 2nd generation roofer with 50 years on the roof in Northeast Ohio snow belt. Retired

[@julesmarcu5635]

Great video Reuben very helpful

[@davidbowsher879]

Thank you. Lots of good information.

[@ericwotton2046]

I air sealed and installed r60 worth of cellulose in my attic paid special attention to the soffits. I don't have soffit vents but I have ridge and gable vents, I don't get ice dams anymore the first winter in my house we definitely ice dam issues.

[@josephchlewicki8005]

Just Plain THANKYOU - For The Common Sense of the matter!

[@curt4282]

Awesome!!!! I live in Andover and every year I have problems with a chase way that goes up the deck which melts a 6 foot diameter circle around the gas chimney and then melts the snow which flows down that slope then meets the other roof deck and then the water freezes on it. I have asked insulating contractors to fix the chase way issue but all they want to do is take out all my insulation and start over with spray and blow in cellulose.

[@sp1200M3D]

Thanks for the vid, can a bath fan line go through the roof and out the top?

[@georgecolbert3247]

Great video. Thanks for sharing your experience. I never thought of attic bypasses.

[@paulagraphr]

More, More! Please, there are so many videos that aren't specific enough and don't talk enough about the interplay between ventilation and insulation.

[@ligiavalverde8335]

Thank you so much for a perfect information.

[@leifharmsen]

my problem area has a cathedral ceiling just on one side of the house with a pair of skylights. It saves the centre of the house from being impossibly gloomy; the skylights let in so much fabulous light we now call that room the atrium. The price for that is ice dams below the skylights. The insulation is R50 closed cell spray foam with no ventilation - there must be some thermal bridging through the truss wood. I installed electric heating cables over the soffits and no sign of leaking yet. We plan to install a new sheet steel roof over our asphalt roof with an air gap under thanks to the strapping and I hope that might at least help.

[@timbibin1301]

What pitch is your roof? It sounds like you need a 750 can vent, or 2 installed on your roof with the ice dam issue

[@kfl611]

WoW everything I always wanted to learn about ice dams but was afraid to ask.

[@bradvincet1848]

Do you need to remove all the snow on the roof when raking?

[@timbibin1301]

We always do when we get calls on ice dams... I live in Detroit, and my boss and I went out and broke up 5 ice dams on 5 different houses today

[@TheRock-22]

Wow! really good pic's and good info, I live in Ontario and ice "damm" is my issue, so now I know what to do for my attic part of the house but unlucky me I have another part of the house which is a 1 1\2 living room and on top of that my natural gas stove for heat is in the living room ;-)

[@newttella1043]

Excellent video. Too many people blaming the roofers who installed their shingles. Many renovated homes have pot lights that aren't airtight and give all a lot of heat into the attic.

[@georgeanastopoulos3996]

Very good video I like it a lot because you're speaking the truth very good video thank you

[@harreetteB477]

Your presentation is excellent. Your videos are so informative and helpful! Thank you!

[@michele2161]

Thank you for the video, very educational. I've been told that as long as you can pull about 2 feet of snow from the edges of your roof with a roof rake that is a sufficient amount of snow. Is that true? I'm not saying that this will prevent ice dams, such as when insufficient insulation is at hand, but that the 2 feet of snow is enough snow to remove. I hope you can find the time to answer me, or anyone who might have an opinion. Thank you.

[@LarryBerry241]

Awesome video

[@bobmohr4952]

I use the roof melt disc in a particular bad side of my roof on the north side over my kitchen. They work phenomenal I always keep a couple buckets on hand because when you need them you can’t find them in the store. I lay them on the thickest part of the ice layer and several in the gutter. Never had a problem indoors since I began using these. I’ve also tried the salt filled nylons in my gutter, worked ok, never just threw the salt on the roof I heard that wasn’t a good idea for the shingles.

[@craiganderson2253]

Great video. Thanks

[@bradlewis9050]

Hows your discussion (Ice dams) apply to a passive house or one with high R-Value?

[@geraldgreene5563]

Just upgraded to R52 insulation in the attic, all the inside of the the soffit was blocked with insulation to prevent air leakage and all vents were installed in every truss in between for ventilation.. still getting dams on the side where there is a plumbing vent and also exhaust fans are installed on the roof.. the exhaust are all insulated as well within the attic.. not much more I can do to prevent it.. roof Just shingled as well??

[@Dave-sg7ez]

Great video, very thourough and alot of help

[@enrik67]

Really good learning experience to watch your video. Thanks for sharing all this proffessionnal info!

[@johntovar89]

Thanks for posting -; Question, does homeowners insurance cover damage from ice dam??

[@grasshopper2179]

Just a thought, but even calling your agent & posing the question would probably increase your rates

[@kdanagger6894]

If you have no attic ventilation, it doesn't matter how well sealed ceiling and vent pipe openings are. You will still get heat built up in the attic because no insulation is perfect. No absolutely NEED good ventilation (not just ridge vents which get blocked), but side vents below the eaves which can not get blocked.

[@kevinhogan4060]

K Danagger I disagree with your comment, "but side vents below the eaves which can not get blocked." In my 30+ years as a residential energy consultant, I can say definitively that those vents can get blocked quite easily from inside the attic and from airborne debris (i.e., dogwood, dust, grass clippings, leaves, etc.) from outdoors that gets trapped against the inlet screen. I have pictures of plugged solid soffit vents that I've removed (for photo purposes). Soffit vents need to be vacuumed/cleaned (from the exterior) to keep them free flowing. How often they need cleaning depends on things like wind direction and the quality of the outdoor air. In some situations, they might need cleaning every year. Other situations might dictate cleaning every couple of years. It's best to inspect at least once a year. In addition to being a residential energy consultant, I've also spent several years providing state-approved, in-field mentoring services for insulation and remodeling contractors in Wisconsin through Focus on Energy. This mentoring included ice dam remediation in existing homes as well as providing education (and state-mandated continuing education units) for those insulation contractors who insulate new homes. Rueben is absolutely correct by identifying the three things that typically cause damaging ice dams. His priority list of those three aspects is also correct. To ensure no ice dams, consider a vented over-roof to keep the snow from melting and re-freezing at the eave edges because a vented over-roof isolates the main roof from snow accumulation that could otherwise be subjected to melting and forming an ice dam or dangerous icicles. While this vented over-roof approach can be used successfully for an unconditioned (vented) attic, it is also well-suited for unvented, cathedral-style roofs that have all the insulation installed in and above the rafter cavities. While this building/remodeling practice is more costly, it eliminates ice dams, icicles, and the effort involved with raking snow off a roof or the maintenance involved in keeping the attic ventilation "system" operating at peak efficiency.

[@bradlewis9050]

Q: Don't the Swiss have ice breaker bars (avalanche protection technology), I thought the snowfall is supposed to be left on the roof for winter insulation?

[@kobra6335]

Great video. Given the amount of snow and low temperatures here in the upper Midwest, I'm guessing ice dams are going to be more common than past years.

[@FollowMagicBrad]

Minnesota‼️I’m in Fridley 😊

[@bravoone17]

Thank you for this video. When this video came up as a KZbin suggestion I was so sure that I was not going to learn anything new. Boy was I wrong. This winter season in the northeast is starting to be very bad for people who get the ice dams. We had recently re-insulated the attic about 4 years ago to try to resolve the ice dam problem. But it is still a problem on the west facing roof side. I suspect it is the air sealing that you talk about. Thank you. MikeS

[@FRENCHDRAINMAN]

Good video. I'm in the business of getting rid of water. It can be zero degree out and with a clear sky Radiant energy from the sun melts the snow. It Doesn't matter what kind of house it is or what you have for insulation. I'm a Licensed Builder understanding what you are looking for and it's just not there. The only solution is to not have gutters.

[@grasshopper2179]

Wait, what?

[@katiebergh4554]

What would be the best type of house and roof to look for in purchasing a house which would be the most cost effective way for prevention of ice dams? I’m looking to buy a simple modest home with the least amount of problems. Any and all advice is appreciated!

[@Rich247-z2c]

Excellent video. What about a gravel roof? I have in-wall leaking which i believe is caused by an ice dam. How is it leaking and do the fixes in this video apply? Thanks

[@danielbailey4053]

Don't forget the end box floor area on an old two story. At the ends of the rooms. How do you fix that?

[@Timetraveler1111MN]

Really great throughly covered video.

[@GrinderMagee]

I got this issue and am ready to throw the pantyhose on the roof. It may be insulation, but it hasn’t been an issue the 7 winters prior. Why is the pantyhose a no go? Just cuz you don’t believe it will work, or because it damages the rooof?

[@Timetraveler1111MN]

So you talked about heat cables or coils and having them go down into the gutter and even getting part of the heat coil down into your downspout I thinking about doing that can we have one small space is there a certain brand you try that work well or is anybody else here found those deicing systems that you plug-in work well? Kind a like you said at the end just get up on a ladder and pour a bunch of ice melter package of snow and you said in the beginning of the video is that if you get snow you wanna roof rake it off if you basically roof rake off the snow pretty regularly then you most likely won’t have to ice dams? that’s a question-

[@reneebulf6963]

We have a problem in South Lake Tahoe. Know anybody who can help ?

[@topdownroofing7648]

Thank you for the info

[@josephchlewicki8005]

Buffalo NY had a Wakeup Call, last winter when 6' sat on the roofs for over 2 weeks with 10 Degrees every night...It WOKE Me Up 😖

[@fox156]

The bit about whole house fans needs some clarification. Any whole house fan sold in the last decade or 2 comes with an automatically actuated insulated damper doors in the ceiling, usually r5-10. They are also much smaller than what's in your photo. That pic is of 20-30 year old louvered whole house fan, I'm sure you come across these I'm older houses but they are not to be confused with modern equipment.

[@67goodoleboy67]

Tonight, I did the roof shovel, panty hose salt and poured salt from the bag. I'll update tomorrow. Also used a hammer, that didn't work great.

[@aleb5195]

Let me know how it works out. I will be out with salt socks in the morning

[@67goodoleboy67]

@@aleb5195 I had better results just pouring the salt in piles on the roof. The salt socks are working but seems to be slow. And neither is working great. There is alot of melting, but this is far from a quick fix. Almost need to go up there with a hole saw on a drill to start it.

[@nancywolf3786]

salt-filled pantyhose took a while, but they did make channels. it depends on what you have right under your roof line that may rule out just throwing salt all over the roof. the rake works very well. i make "v" shapes in three spots to make wide channels. no more roof leaks here.

[@thelagdidit6467]

Thanks this winter in mn is bad

[@abc123xyz-q2p]

I have solar panels on my roof, and they seem to contribute to ice dams. And eventually, it avalanches off the edge of the roof.

[@deanfender7965]

Roof rakes work .no snow no leak. start from the bottom and work your way up to the top get yourself a good ladder .I didn't know as the ice freezes it's backed up the roof not down good to noooo

[@annal2903]

LOL. Thank you for the great info and great humor. I couldn't stop laughing! :)

[@Infrared1967]

You have given me so many things to look for in my attic. Thanks! As for ventilation, it depends on how it's done. I drilled 1/2" holes under my soffits to the attic. Cover them with aluminum vents or screen so you don't get wasps. Then I stapled styrofoam rafter vents in the attic starting at the edge of the eaves. But you have to make it a closed channel. I clipped and bent the vents at the eaves to cover down to the holes. Then I stapled them to the rafter plate. Now the cold air goes directly up between the vents and the roof keeping it cold. I could NOT believe the difference! Huge ice dams and 4 foot icicles dwindled to twigs. It also cuts way down on condensation and mold should you want to vault an upstairs room. My neighbors have icicle envy. No, this doesis does little for the R value so staple some rolled insulation over the vents up the rafters, and blow in more onto the floor. Saved me 40% on gas bills.

[@bernardleguillou4137]

I rake my roof,because of gutter shields.It seams to help.

[@CatGarlo]

So informative, thank you!

[@melternes3678]

Very helpful. Thank You!

[@elizabethblane201]

I'm glad I'm in San Diego.

[@Timetraveler1111MN]

Elizabeth Blane how did you end up on this video?

[@jordanhuisman8010]

Great info, Thanks!

[@MenuFortyEight]

getting heat cables for next winter. rochester ny. and first ice dam issue woke up to leak coming down my brand new drywall. thankfully its 8 inch tall drywall above french doors. made a channel for water for now. grrr

[@GS-ez9rb]

Want to buy my 1.5 story ice dam?

[@sirbackdoorbandit]

So glad i dont live where u get snow.... we in ozzie land need to stop the heat in the roof cavity getting inside

[@OB17358]

Heated gutter cables installed before the snow.

[@intikhabalam9752]

Keep the roof ceiling above 50 degree angle from the base.

[@BeerIndependence4All]

We just bought a 1 1/2 story home in Ohio... and we have ice dams. Who knew? We planned on blowing in more insulation, since what IS in there doesn't even cover the joists. We just didn't have time before winter arrived. The most common suggestion I've heard is the pantyhose full of salt or calcium chloride. Even contractor Tom Silva from "This Old House" recommended it in a video! (link below) I've decided on heat cables, but ran across one system that uses aluminum sheets that slid up under the shingles (not sure how they deal with nails) and has a tube at the edge of the roof where the cable runs. Have you seen these and would you recommend them? I mean... they are prettier than wires! As promised.... Tom Silva on "Ask This Old House" with pantyhose filled with salt: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3KqhmitebRjmdk

[@sirbackdoorbandit]

Just heat the roof so all the snow melts

[@sp1200M3D]

I hate blown in insulation, it never stays in 1 place, and it never has an equal R-Value across the ceiling plain. It also gets sucked into air handlers, causing mold. Not to mention, it makes its way into your living space and your family breathes it in. And Spray Foam is toxic and can take up to 2 years to off gas. And both of these options are all the rage. Ugh

[@AnthonyDoster]

Completely wrong about blown in insulation lmfao.

[@sp1200M3D]

@@AnthonyDoster Vented soffit moves it around from wind. I’ve seen plenty of it migrate all over attics. Laser particle counters prove it too. Your comment is broad and dull, with no substance.

[@jbarres80]

1st yr I have ice build up and I think it’s caused because my bathroom ceiling fan has gap in it