Ice dam removal in Minnesota
An ice dam is a ridge of ice at the edge of your roof that traps meltwater behind it. The water backs up under the shingles and comes through your ceiling. Every January the Twin Cities fills up with them, and most homeowners only deal with the ice — not the reason it formed.
Emergency removal
We use low-pressure steam, not hammers, chisels, or pressure washers. Steam melts the ice without stripping granules off the shingles or gouging the roof deck. Anyone quoting a hatchet or a pressure washer is going to cost you a roof.
- Channels cut through the dam so trapped water can drain immediately
- Full dam removal at the eave and in the valleys
- Gutter and downspout thawing so the system drains
- Roof snow removal to stop the dam reforming next thaw
The permanent fix
Ice dams are an insulation and ventilation problem, not a weather problem. Heat leaking into the attic warms the roof deck, snow melts, the water runs down to the cold overhang, and refreezes. The fix is to keep the roof deck cold:
- Air seal the attic floor — can lights, bath fans, top plates, the attic hatch, and plumbing chases. This is the single highest-value step.
- Insulate to R-49 or R-60 — most Twin Cities attics were built to R-19 to R-38
- Restore soffit-to-ridge ventilation — including baffles so insulation does not choke the soffit vents
- Vent bath fans and dryers outside, never into the attic
- Ice and water shield at the eaves at the next roof replacement
Planning ranges (Twin Cities, estimates)
| Work | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Steam removal (per hour) | $250 – $500 |
| Typical single ice dam job | $500 – $2,000 |
| Roof snow removal | $300 – $900 |
| Attic air sealing | $700 – $2,500 |
| Attic insulation top-up to R-60 | $1,800 – $4,500 |
| Soffit baffles and vent correction | $500 – $1,800 |
Emergency winter calls price higher than scheduled work. Estimates only.
Insurance note
Many Minnesota homeowners policies cover the interior water damage from an ice dam, and some cover removal when there is active damage. They rarely cover the insulation work. Take photos before anything is touched.
What's included
- Free, no-pressure estimate
- Licensed & fully insured crew
- Cleanup included — we leave it spotless
- Same-day or scheduled service
- Written quote, fair pricing
- 24/7 emergency response
FAQ
Will removing an ice dam damage my roof?
Not with steam. Chipping with hammers, chisels, or a pressure washer strips granules and cracks cold shingles, which is the most common way roofs get destroyed during removal.
Do roof rakes work?
Pulling the first three or four feet of snow off the eave after each storm genuinely helps prevent dams. It does not remove ice that has already formed.
Do heat cables fix ice dams?
They create a drainage channel so water can escape, which prevents interior leaks. They do not stop the dam from forming and they run up your electric bill. Treat them as a bandage, not a fix.
Why does only one part of my roof get ice dams?
That is where heat is escaping. Common culprits are a bathroom fan, a recessed light cluster, a chase behind a knee wall, or an area where insulation was pushed aside.
Ice Dam Removal & Prevention near you
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