Do’s and Don’ts for your winter roof

If you have ice dams on your roof this winter that are threatening the integrity of your shingles and structure, it is time to do some ice removal. Let us help you do this safely and efficiently with these do’s and don’tsl

• Do – Make sure to remove it before the snow and ice have built up too much.
• Don’t – Wait for snow and ice to melt naturally if there is build up

If left alone, the ice dam will continue to be built up by the snow and ice up on your roof. So the first step is to remove this ice and snow using a snow rake, which is a retractable rake. Stand on the ground (not on the roof or ladder) and use this rake to scrape the existing snowpack down off your roof. Pull the snow toward you as a side-to-side motion could damage shingles.

• Do – Use a roof and shingle safe deicing product.
• Don’t – Get on your roof while its icy

Use a chemical de-icer product. These products contain ammonium sulfate, calcium magnesium acetate, or potassium chloride; and are sold at hardware and home improvement stores usually in tablet or crystal form. Following the label instructions, sprinkle or distribute the substance along the top of the ice in your gutter. It will slowly melt the ice, and the substances will drain out of your gutters with the water.

• Do- Use warm solution to quickly remove ice
• Don’t – Allow warm water to freeze causing more ice buildup.

Warm water spray. This is a temporary solution but it can produce immediate results. Take some hot or warm water and pour it into a spraying device of some kind. Then spray the water along the ice to loosen it up. Unless temperatures are above freezing the warm water will eventually turn cold and freeze. Only use this with another backup removal technique.