Ice Dam Removal/Steaming
When the homeowner neglects to remove roof snow and more snow begins to pile on especially after "some melting" has already begun, it's already too late as that's the beginning of the end. When you see the first icicles forming no matter how large or small, or how many times you break off a large icicle -that's just the tip of the iceberg and only makes you feel good, but doesn't do a dam thing (pardon the pun!) The dam has formed and the icicle is the red flag. Rest assured water and ice is in the process of creeping up under the shingles, soffits, dormers, and once it arrives where heat escapes thru walls and ceilings, it starts to melt. It's just a matter of time before water is pouring through the walls and ceilings of your home.
Power Wash Seal Of Bergen County stands ready to respond by handling this on an emergency basis.
When we arrive we will review with you to determine which areas you would like us address to address first. Once that starts we will evaluate and advise if there are other areas in danger while we're on the roof. From then on it’s a matter of letting the melting process and crew members dislodge the blocks of formed ice inside the gutters and leaders.
Before ice remediation can commence, a 4--6 feet perimeter of snow must be removed away from the gutters which will provide a channel for future snow melting.
We recommend upto the roof ridge line or peak during the early and mid winter season (Jan thru Feb)
Based on conditions (both weather and your situation), once we have our equipment set up, you can anticipate approximately 7 to 15 feet of ice dam remediation per hour.
Ice Steaming--Charge per hour for gutter and leader steaming
$300/hr + tax
The Three-Inch Rule
To protect your home, schedule a roof snow removal as soon as the forecast predicts that 3 or more inches of snow is on its way, and especially if the new accumulation will sit on top of a previous minimum 3 inches.
The weight of a cubic foot of snow can be around 30 lbs.
When this snow sits on the gutter system, it prevents melt water from flowing. This freezes and causes ice damming.
The weight of this much pressure will in addition to causing ice damming, may also cause:
- Cracked and Buckled Shingles
- Separate Gutters from the Edge of the Roof Line from Weight and Expansion
- Roof Leakage
- Structural Damage
What Causes Ice Dams?
Many reasons: Roof ice and ice dams are from pockets of heat that sit in either the soffits or attic which come from the heating of your home. As the ice creeps up your roof during the day because it has no where to go since the gutters are clogged from the snow sitting there (which should have been shoveled off to begin with) the melting during the day and then re freezing at night pushes the ice dam higher and higher and once the ice comes in contact with the heat, it melts and enters the interior of the home through the soffits or beneath the roof felt and shingles.
Ventilation, insulation, sun exposure, construction style, roof complexities, amount of snow and numerous other condtions all contribute to this costly damage.
How Do I Prevent Ice Dams?
Easy! If you have 3" of snow sitting on the roof, and more is expected, especially after a sunny but freezing cold day, call us to get the roof snow removed. A 6' barrier will keep melted water flowing. As long as you have flowing melted water, then all systems are functioning correctly.
