Roof Snow and Ice Dam Removal in Kitchener
Load reduction and ice dam clearing before meltwater backs up under the shingles and finds its way into the ceiling.
Roof snow is the part of winter maintenance homeowners think about last and pay for most, because the damage shows up inside the house. Kitchener Snow & Ice clears it before it gets that far.
How an Ice Dam Forms
Warm air escaping into the attic melts the snow sitting on the heated part of the roof. That water runs down the slope until it reaches the eaves and the overhang, which sit above unheated space and remain below freezing. There it refreezes.
Repeat that cycle for a week and a ridge of solid ice builds along the eaves. The next round of meltwater hits that ridge, has nowhere to go, and backs up underneath the shingle courses. Shingles shed water flowing downhill. They are not designed to hold back standing water pushing uphill. That is the point at which it comes through a ceiling.
Clearing Without Wrecking the Roof
Steam is the correct tool for an established dam. It melts a channel through the ice without touching the shingles underneath. Chipping with hand tools removes ice and shingle granules together, and asphalt shingles are at their most brittle in exactly the conditions where a dam exists.
Where the roofline allows, we reduce snow load with a roof rake from the ground, which is safer for everyone and cheaper than any approach involving a ladder in January.
Load After a Heavy Fall
Depth alone is a poor guide to weight. Fresh dry snow is light. The same accumulation after a thaw, a refreeze, and then rain absorbed into the pack can be several times heavier. Waterloo Region gets mid-winter rain events, and rain falling onto an existing snowpack is the sequence worth paying attention to.
We assess from the ground before committing to anything, and we say plainly when a roof does not need the work.
What's Included
- Ice dams at the eaves cleared
- Load reduced after heavy accumulation
- Roof rake from the ground where possible
- Steam rather than chipping for dams
- Assessment before anyone goes up
Other Services We Offer in Kitchener
Roof Snow & Ice Dam Removal Questions
What actually causes an ice dam?
Heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the upper roof. That meltwater runs down to the eaves, which sit over unheated space and stay below freezing, and it refreezes there. The ridge of ice that builds up blocks the next round of meltwater, which then backs up under the shingles and into the roof deck.
Can I just chip the ice off myself?
Chipping at a dam with a hammer or an axe is how shingles get destroyed, and shingles are brittle in the cold. Steam removes ice without damaging the roof covering. It is slower and it costs more than a hammer, and it is the reason a roof still sheds water in April.
How much snow on a roof is too much?
It depends on the roof and on what the snow has been through. Dry powder is light. The same depth after a thaw and a refreeze can weigh several times more, and a mid-winter rain event on top of an existing snowpack is the situation that concerns people who look at roofs for a living.
Get a Free Roof Snow & Ice Dam Removal Quote
Seasonal contracts fill up before winter starts. Get a free written quote now and have it settled.