The co-owner of Kleefeld Construction says though there are temporary ways to deal with ice dams on your roof, the only permanent solution is re-insulation.

Dave Siemens says ice damming is most commonly a problem with older houses and is a sign of poor insulation.

“Ice damming happens from heat inside coming out and meeting the snow that is on the roof outside and it causes ice to form between the snow layer and the shingles. When snow melts it actually creates a dam so the water that is melting as the weather turns warmer has nowhere to run. It can back up underneath your shingles and into your attic.”

Siemens says newer homes usually do not have this problem because the building code has changed in a way that requires more insulation and the insulation itself has improved. He notes another advancement that newer homes benefit from is vapor barrier.

Siemens says for those that do struggle with ice dams, keeping your roof clear of snow can help.

“If you had a way of clearing your roof then it would be good after every snowfall to clear your roof. Some people put heat wires under the eve of their roof so that the ice in that area can't back up but you see ice damming happening in valleys and higher up on the roof so I don't think that is the best answer either.”

Siemens says once ice has built up on your roof, attempting to clear it by breaking it away may damage your shingles. He notes re-insulation is the only way to fix the problem.

“We have replaced entire roofs of houses and several times just the sheeting and then you pull off the shingles and the sheeting and re-insulate, re-sheet, and re-shingle from outside. You can do the same from inside it is just more invasive and it makes a big mess.”