How To Eliminate Ice Jams In My Gutters

Melt the ice with hot water.

How to eliminate ice jams in my gutters. Clearing out your gutters. 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. So the first step is to remove this ice and snow using a snow rake which is a retractable rake that can extend up to about 17 feet or so in length. This method may use up your hot water for awhile so be sure everyone in the family has showered or bathed for the day.

If left alone the ice dam will continue to be built up by the snow and ice up on your roof. If you have leakage from an ice dam and can t rake the snow off the roof the best way to get rid of the ice dam is to hire a roofing company to steam it off. It melts the ice away without damaging the roofing. In fact after every heavy snowfall you should use a roof rake to prevent ice dams from even building up.

A bit of warm water should be enough to break up frozen chunks and clear the blockage. Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. You can also use a hose connected to a hot water tap to spray water on the outside of your frozen downspout. A steamer is like a pressure washer except that the water is hot.

If you re interested check out our tutorial on using roof rakes. Run the other end of the. If necessary use a long handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position.