Contrary to common belief, gutters do not cause ice dams. They are the result of water back up. Damaging ice dams occur on houses with and without gutters, old and new. We estimate that less than 0.5% of homes experience this water back up problem in severe winter conditions.

Water back up results when snow builds up and stays on the roof during a cold snap. The snow melts* under this pile, flows down the roof under the snow pile and then freezes, thus forming an ice dam at roof edge or gutter edge. As more snow melts water runs down the roof and pools behind the dam. Eventually, this ice gets high enough so that the melting water has no where else to go but to back up under roof shingles**, resulting in water leaks on ceilings and walls.

With gutters in place, this ice build-up takes place on tip of the gutter (highly visible), without gutters the dam occurs at the roof edge (usually covered with snow). In either case the result is the same, the dam holds the water back. Removing or modifying the gutter system does not alleviate the ice dam. It just relocates it to the roof edge, which only makes the condition worse.

Make troughs in the ice dams using hot water or mechanical means so the water can flow. Remove as much snow as possible from the roof at least two feet up from roof edge. We have the equipment and the manpower to handle this snow and ice removal for you. Please contact us to schedule a removal. Note: This is very dangerous work.

To address those areas where snow and ice build up, we recommend that you install a heavy duty heating system for your roofs, valleys, gutters and downspouts. We are happy to provide you a quote on a heating system. Please click here for a quote.

Generally, snow melt is caused by too much heat in the wrong place! Some reasons are:

1. heat escapes to the attic, warms the roof and melts snow.
2. there is not enough ventilation to keep the attic cold. A properly insulated & vented home should be virtually ice free at roof edge.

If you take a drive around you can observe the wide variations of ice build up or lack of.

Another cause for ice dams can be the weather patterns. If we experience a winter that has a combination of snow and rain, it’s quite likely that ice will build up on the roof.

Homes built or re-roofed within recent years should already have at least a 60 inch wide ice and water shield installed under the shingles, starting at the roof edge. Properly installed, this should prevent water from backing up into the house if an ice dam should occur.

Read The Boston Globe, January 16, 1994 Home and Garden Section for a definitive article on ice dams, titled: "Don't Damn the Ice Dams".