We’ve talked about how to prevent ice from building up on your roof earlier this week. But what about if you didn’t take the time to winterize your roof and we’re suddenly hit with snow and freezing rain?
Build up of ice on your roof can cause water damage and leaks within your walls, ceiling, gutters, and more. It’s better to de-ice your roof the moment you notice ice dams forming. If not, you risk the ice dams becoming bigger and eventually causing more damage. Avoid costly repairs by de-icing your roof as soon as possible. Or, better yet, take the time to prevent them from forming at all!
There are a variety of methods for de-icing your roof. However, always put your safety first. We don’t recommend anyone climb their roof at any time and we further discourage doing so when there is rain or snow present.
If you are using a ladder to reach the edge of your home, always make sure that your ladder is sturdy and secure before you climb up. It’s also recommended to have a partner who can help spot you when doing roof work on the ladder. Also, beware of falling ice or snow when clearing away icicles from the edge of your roof.
Never use rock salt to melt snow or ice on your roof, as this can damage your shingles and decrease the longevity of your roof. You can find other ice melting products that are designed for ice dams on roofs at your local hardware store. Make sure to follow the instructions accordingly.
Prevention is the best way to avoid ice dams on your roof, but if ice is already starting to form, you can try to keep the edges of your roof clear so that the ice dam doesn’t get bigger. As mentioned above, beware of chipping icicles off your roof; falling ice is not just a hazard to your safety, but you also want to be careful not to damage your home’s exterior.
Another way to keep ice off the edge of your roof is by clearing away any snow or debris that is sitting on the edge of your roof. This will allow existing snow or ice to melt away and flow away from your home. If accessible, you can remove snow by lightly sweeping the edge of your roof with a broom. For multi-story homes, it’s best to call your local roofer to remove snow or ice so that you can avoid climbing on top of your room.
A quick Google search may result in tutorials on how to chisel away ice dams and icicles off your roof. However, this can ultimately damage your roof shingles and gutters if not done properly. Additionally, it’s risky to hack away at icicles above your head! Your local roofer will be better equipped and trained to remove ice from your roof without causing any further damage or costly repairs.
They were very responsive to a couple of installation issues and followed through with the business philosophy of finding a solution that would work. Thanks Jeff for your work... read more
Jerry WilleyI wont to thank all of the people that worked extremely hard on both in being honest and doing a great job, and in fast in have enough... read more
Jody KoellingNick and Jeff E. were great. They both took the time to make sure we understood our options, answered our questions and we were able to make the best choice... read more
Donavan AndersonGood price for good work. Crew did full strip and reroof for our two story house in 2 days. Looked great when done. Important to work with a roofing company... read more
Steve WetterlingJeff Eason did a fantastic job and found cost effective ways to avoid high costs
John Bonomi Jr.We actually stumbled across IBEX at the Tigard Festival of Balloons and scheduled a free estimate to have our roof cleaned. And I'm so glad we did! Miguel... read more
Amanda CaseJeff Eason, our project manager, made sure to handle our project with care and attention. He kept us in the loop of what was happening and was generous with providing... read more
Rory ParsonsJeff Eason took great care of me. He kept me up to date each step of the way. I added gutter replacement to my reroofing job and have me regrets!... read more
Michelle HuffmanJeff Eason project manager did a wonderful job and gave me the best deal on gutters
Allen KosinJeff Eason and his crew are professionals who care about the customer. He and his crew arrived promptly at scheduled times. The crew worked efficiently and the roof was installed... read more
Laura Guerra
