Dam. Those ice dams. 

Those ice dams are pesky and annoying this time of year. The snow melts, then freezes, and your gutters become a solid block of ice. As the water backs up, it can leak into your home causing damage to insulation, ceilings, walls, and other areas.

Here are six ways to prevent ice dams.

  1. Use a snow rake: Get the snow off your roof before it melts with a rake. Roof rakes cost anywhere from $30 to $200. You can get them at Menards, Lowes, or Ace Hardware in Bismarck.
  2. Use a heat cable: Something else to pick up at Menards, Lowes, or Ace Hardware in Bismarck is a de-icing cable. They can run anywhere from $30 to $100 depending on the roof’s size. Run the cable along problematic ice dam areas.
  3. Keep your gutters clean: The more leaves and debris clogging your gutters, the easier it is for an ice dam to form. Set a reminder on your phone to clean out your gutters in the fall before the snow hits to cut down on the amount of debris cluttering your gutters.
  4. Make sure your downspouts work: Downspouts can also get clogged with debris. Or they may get damaged by wind or someone stepping on them and crimping the snow’s ability to drain.
  5. Improve ventilation in your attic: Ice dams can form when warm air from your home rises into the attic and melts the snow on your roof. Make the ceiling air tight by increasing insulation. Then open up more ventilation from the outside into the attic space.
  6. Call a roofing professional: If you’re having trouble preventing ice dams, reach out to us. We’re your local roofer in Bismarck-Mandan. We can assess the situations and recommend some solutions.