Ice dams
Ice dams: stop the backup at the eaves
An ice dam is a ridge of ice at the gutter. Heat in the attic melts snow higher up; that water refreezes at the cold eave and backs up under the shingles. Rooms under those eaves stain even when the rest of the roof looks fine. We write a repair, ice-barrier, or ventilation plan. Your insurance company decides coverage.
In short
What is ice dam repair?
Ice at the eaves can push meltwater under the shingles. We inspect from the ground and the attic when we can, then write a repair, ice-barrier, or ventilation plan. Do not chip ice from a ladder.
When this is the right job
Call after winter leaks on exterior walls or rooms under the eaves, or when you see thick ice along the gutter. This is most common in Minnesota and other freeze-thaw markets.
How it works
Step 1
Do not chip the ice off the roof
Stay off ice-covered slopes. Photograph stains and the eave from the ground. We will not ask you to climb.
Step 2
We inspect the roof, gutters, and attic
We look at ice-barrier coverage, ventilation, insulation clues, and whether the leak is a dam, a flashing gap, or both.
Step 3
We write a winter-safe plan
You may need a targeted repair now and ventilation or a reroof when the weather allows. That split is written down before work starts.
What we look at
- Ice at the eaves and in the gutters
- Stains on exterior-wall ceilings or at window heads
- Attic frost, daylight, or weak ventilation when we can get in
- Whether an ice barrier was installed at the eaves
- Frozen downspouts and overflow
What changes the price
The estimate is for your roof, not a neighborhood average. These things usually change the number:
- Whether water is coming in now
- Access and snow on the roof
- Ice-barrier and ventilation work
- Whether the shingles are otherwise worn out
Ice dam repair by city
Each city page talks about that market—not the same paragraph with a different city name.
Ice dam repair in Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and North Carolina
We schedule this from Eden Prairie, Naperville, Chesterfield, Wichita, and Charlotte. The weather is not the same in each market—hail is more common in Sedgwick County, ice at the eaves is more common in the Twin Cities, and Charlotte thunderstorms lift tabs more often than they bruise a whole roof. The written estimate is for your house, not a state average.
Related problems
People also ask about this service
Will removing the ice dam stop the leak?
- Clearing ice can reduce the backup, but the leak path and the heat that formed the dam are still there. We document both before we propose work.
Does insurance pay for ice dams?
- That is your insurance company’s decision under the policy. We document what we see and estimate the roofing work. We do not decide coverage.
Topic cluster
More on ice dams
An ice dam is a ridge of ice at the gutter. Heat in the attic melts snow higher on the roof; that water refreezes at the cold eave and backs up under the shingles. Do not chip the ice from a ladder. We inspect from the ground and the attic when we can. Full topic.
Next step
Ask about ice dam repair on your house
Send the address, the storm date if you have it, and what you have noticed. We inspect, then give you a replacement or repair price. Your insurance company decides what they pay.