Ice Dam Removal
Serving the Lincoln, Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA areas.
“Ice Dam Removal the Safe Way, We Steam Them Away!
Serving the Upper Midwest
Ice dams can cause serious damage to your home as the freezing and thawing process of water creates a pathway under the shingles, metal flashing, siding or other areas into your home. We use steam to remove ice from roofs and guttering. Steam is the only method to safely remove ice without damaging your roof or gutters.
Protect your roof and home from the hazards of ice dams and improper removal methods by giving us a call. We pride ourselves on our quick response.
What Causes Ice Dams?
Ice dams also called ice jams by some homeowners develop as water from melting snow descends down the roof and as it reaches the colder area of the roof usually over the soffit or eves it freezes and begins to develop a ridge or dam at the edge of the roof. This ridge or dam continues to grow in size as the melting snow above it continues to feed it’s growth.
We’ve seen ice dams more than a foot thick. Ice dams can also quickly develop anywhere on the roof where there is metal, such as in the valleys of a roof. Some homeowners believe that ice dams develop because their gutters are full of leaves, but when it is very cold outside as soon as melting snow from the roof contacts the gutters it freezes, whether the gutters are full of debris or not.
Do Gutter Guards Cause Ice Dams?
No, gutter guards or covers do not cause ice dams, but we have found that homes that have gutter guards are usually easier to service because it’s easier to remove the ice from the top of the cover than to remove it from the guttering itself.
Why Are Ice Dams A Concern?
As the name implies ice dams create a dam which captures the water flowing down the roof and causes it to pool up. As this water behind the dam begins to freeze it can seep up under the shingles or flashing and into your home causing damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, flooring and more. We were recently at a home where the ceiling had collapsed due to the drywall becoming saturated with water. If you are having water drip from your ceiling, you may consider poking a small hole in the drywall to allow the water to exit more easily and not oversaturate the drywall, but have a bucket ready to capture the water! Repairing a small hole is much easier than replacing an entire ceiling.
The weight of ice dams can also cause the guttering to be torn away from the home. It’s during the low temperatures of about 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below that ice dams form or grow in size and it’s during warmer temperatures of the mid 20’s and above when ice dams usually cause their greatest problems as the water from the melting ice begins to flow into the home.
It may seem as the though the problem has gone away during colder temperatures, but it is likely to return as the thermometer rises. Preventive measures are prudent to avoid costly repairs.
Removing Ice Dams
We use industrial, diesel powered ice dam removal equipment that produces super-heated hot water and steam to safely melt and cut away the ice from your gutters and roof. Some contractors use hatchets, chainsaws and salt or deicers to remove the ice but these ice removal methods can also severely damage your home.
Our method quickly and safely removes the ice. We can remove ice in outdoor temperatures down to about -5 degrees Fahrenheit. We are the most experienced local ice dam removal contractor and have been in business for over 30 years with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Removing Ice From Gutters
Ice in gutters during the winter months is not uncommon but an excessive amount of it can create potential problems. If the amount of ice in the gutters continues to increase to the point that it reaches the top of the gutters this ice can create a pathway for water to enter into your home as it can make it’s way in through the flashing. This most frequently happens where there is an inside corner in the guttering.
As the ice continues to grow in height it can develop an ice dam on the edge of the roof or in the valleys. The weight of ice in the gutters can also cause the guttering to detach from the home.
If the gutters are full of ice the downspouts usually are too, and this can be a problem if there is a significant rain event as the water has no where to drain but at the foundation of the home where it can enter into the home. We can quickly remedy this problem by melting and cutting the ice out of the gutters and downspouts with steam and super-heated hot water.
If your downspouts connect to an underground tile or corrugated tubing this part of the guttering system is usually frozen as well and we can usually address this area as well but may need you to uncover the snow from the exit point so that we can access this underground portion from both sides
“These guys saved us today! We had water coming in from ice dams. They were here within an hour. Work is complete and ice dams are gone!! Thank you so much!”
Melissa T. Ralston, NE
“I live in Lincoln, and had a ridge of ice across the back of the house that was worrisome. Executive Cleaning Services came out promptly and removed it with their steamer. Couldn’t be happier, and their help was greatly appreciated.”
Jeffrey D. Lincoln, NE
“Very professional. I had a lot of ice dams and they got rid of them all. Highly recommend”
Collyn C. Omaha, NE
Can You Provide A Cost Estimate?
There are many variables that affect the time required to remove ice dams. Some of these variables are: Thickness of the ice, roofing material, outdoor temperature, type of guttering, and if the gutters are clean or are full of leaves or other debris. Therefore, due to all these variables it is impossible to estimate the time to remove them.
We can remove the ice dams in areas where water is leaking into your home first or in areas of greatest concern to you and then can progress to other areas of the house if it is within your budget. Unless you are out of our current service area, we charge from the time that we pull into your driveway until we are done and loaded up.
Beware of National Ice Dam Removal Companies
National ice dam removal companies look to profit from regional storms throughout the country. These companies advertise nationally, usually through Google Ads on the internet. These companies will either contract with local contractors to do the work for them who may have little to no experience or training in ice dam removal or they do the work themselves and travel around the country to cities that have major ice dam issues.
In Omaha we saw this first-hand in the winter of 2010-2011. A national ice dam company came into town for a week or two and had a poorly trained technician that did significant damage to a customers roof. These companies leave town as quickly as they come.
Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Ice Dam Removal?
If you have water leaking into your home from Ice Dams, many insurance companies will cover ice dam removal. You will want to check with your insurance agent and may need to establish a claim before the work is done.
Will Ice Shield Underlayment Protect My Home From Ice Dams?
Ice shield underlayment is typically applied to the first three feet from the roof edge, but ice can climb the roof beyond this barrier and can also still find its way through the metal flashing.
We recently did a ice removal job where water was pouring into the customers home from ice dams and he had an ice shield and water barrier, but the ice had built up and climbed five feet from the roof edge and beyond the barrier.
Prevention
The best preventative method you can use as a homeowner to prevent or minimize ice dams is to remove their source. Removing the snow up 5 or 6 feet from the edge of the roof can greatly reduce the risk of ice dams, because it is the melting snow that forms them.
Roof rakes can usually be purchased from a hardware or home improvement store. Special heating cables can be installed in the guttering and on the roof edge, but these products are not always effective at preventing ice dams.
Many people believe that adding insulation and/or vents will fix their ice dam problem, but they may actually be making the problem worse. To help eliminate your ice dams permanently, visit the website link listed below for help in diagnosing and correcting the problem.
Click here for more information about ice dams from the University of Minnesota.
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