Sanford & Hawley, Inc.
Quality Lumber and Building Materials Since 1884

A

B

C

If you live in a snowy region, you already know about the damaging affects of ice dams. Clogged gutters fill up with ice(fig A), then water runoff from the roof gets trapped by the dam and eventually backs up the roof(fig B), because the water is moving up the roof it travels under the shingles and leaks into the house(fig C).

While a permanent fix for ice dams usually requires increasing the insulation, sealing and ventilation in the attic, there is a simple way to diminish the damage after the dam has formed. Fill the leg of discarded pair of panty hose with a calcium chloride ice melter (do not use rock salt). Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. If necessary, use a long-handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position. The calcium chloride will eventually melt through the snow and ice and create a channel for water to flow down into the gutters or off the roof.