Ice dams on mountain homes & cabins

Winter guide

What an ice dam is

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that builds up along the lower edge of a roof. It starts when heat from inside the house warms the roof deck and melts the bottom layer of snow, even when it's well below freezing outside. That meltwater runs down the roof until it reaches the eaves, which hang out past the warm walls and stay cold. There, it freezes. Day after day, the ridge grows, and the next round of meltwater pools behind it. Shingles are made to shed water running downhill, not to hold back standing water, so it works its way under them and into the roof, walls and ceilings.

Icicles alone aren't always a problem. A thick band of ice along the eaves with snow sitting above it is.

Why mountain homes are prone to them

Homes in Park City, the Kamas Valley and the Heber Valley have the ingredients: deep snow that sits on the roof for months, long stretches of cold, and late-winter days with strong sun followed by hard freezes. A few house types see more ice dams than others:

• Older cabins in places like Samak, Woodland and up the Mirror Lake Highway, often built with thin insulation and little attic ventilation.
• Vaulted and cathedral ceilings, where there's no attic space to keep the roof cold, and recessed lights that leak heat into the roof.
• Complex rooflines with valleys, dormers and low-slope sections, where snow and ice collect.
• North-facing eaves and shaded roofs that stay frozen while the south side melts and sends water their way.
• Homes with clogged gutters, where the ice has a head start in the trough.

Warning signs

• A thick ridge of ice along the eaves, often with heavy icicles hanging from it
• Icicles forming behind the gutter or ice running down the siding
• Water stains or peeling paint on ceilings and walls near outside walls, especially in upstairs rooms and around skylights
• Damp or stained window trim, or drips from window and door heads
• Gutters pulling away from the fascia or bent hangers
• Bare strips of roof above the eaves while the rest is snow-covered, which points to heat escaping through that spot

How to prevent ice dams

Before the snow

• Clean gutters and downspouts late in the fall. Clear troughs and open downspouts give meltwater somewhere to go. See gutter cleaning and replacement, or our page on gutter cleaning in Park City.
• Re-secure loose gutters and hangers so ice in the trough doesn't tear them off.
• Point downspouts away from walks and steps. Meltwater that drains onto entries refreezes into a skating rink.
• Check existing heat cables. If your roof has heat cable along the eaves and in the gutters, make sure it's plugged in and undamaged before the season. Installing or repairing heat cable belongs with an electrician or a roofing company.

The long-term fix: keep the roof cold

Ice dams are a heat problem. The lasting fixes are sealing the air leaks that let warm air into the attic (around ceiling lights, bath fans, attic hatches, plumbing and flue openings), adding attic insulation, and improving roof ventilation so the underside of the roof stays close to the outside temperature. Those are jobs for an insulation contractor or a roofer, who can look at your attic and tell you what's actually going on. If you get ice dams every winter in the same spots, this is where the money is best spent.

During the winter

• After big storms, a roof rake used from the ground can pull the bottom few feet of snow off low, single-story eaves. Never use one from a ladder, and stay out from under the snow as it falls.
• Keep an eye on vents, the gas meter and entry roofs, and keep snow from sliding onto walkways.
• For heavy snow on the roof or any work above the first story, hire a roof snow removal company.

What to do if you already have an ice dam

1. Don't chip or hammer at the ice. You'll damage the shingles and gutters, and falling ice is dangerous.
2. Don't climb onto a snowy or icy roof, and don't work from a ladder on ice.
3. Catch the water inside. Put down towels and buckets, move furniture and electronics away from drips, and if water is coming through a ceiling light fixture, turn off that circuit at the breaker and call an electrician.
4. Take photos of the ice, the roof and any interior damage, with dates. They help when you talk to a roofer or your insurance company.
5. Call an ice dam or roof snow removal company. Many use low-pressure steam to cut channels through the ice without damaging the roof. Avoid rock salt on the roof, which can harm shingles, gutters and plants below.
6. Plan the long-term fix with a roofer or insulation contractor once the weather allows.

After the melt: repairs a handyman can help with

Once the ice is gone and any roof or attic work is sorted out, there's usually cleanup left behind. This is where we come in:

• Re-hanging or replacing gutter sections and hangers that the ice pulled loose
• Patching water-stained or damaged drywall once the leak is fixed and the area has dried. See drywall patching.
• Priming stains and touching up ceilings and walls. See painting touch-ups.
• Replacing damaged window and door trim, and fixing deck boards and railings that took a hit from falling ice

If drywall stays wet, smells musty or keeps staining, there may be moisture inside the wall or ceiling. That needs a roofer or water damage specialist before any patching.

Cabins and second homes

An ice dam on an empty cabin can leak for weeks before anyone notices. If your place sits vacant, keep the heat on, get the gutters done in fall, and have someone check after big storms. Our guide to winterizing a cabin or second home walks through the rest, and snow-season prep covers the doors, drafts and outdoor hardware.

Putting up holiday lights? Do not clip or staple them to the gutter, shingles or a heat cable. See our guide to hanging holiday lights without damaging gutters, shingles or heat cables.

When to call a pro

• Roofer or roof snow removal company: active ice dams, heavy roof snow, roof leaks and roof repairs
• Insulation contractor or roofer: attic air sealing, insulation and ventilation behind recurring ice dams
• Electrician: new or damaged heat cable, outlets for de-icing systems, and water near light fixtures (see our heat cable checklist for what to look at first)
• Us: gutter cleaning and repairs before winter, and gutter, drywall, paint, trim and deck repairs after the melt

Where we help

• Gutter cleaning in Park City
• Gutter cleaning in Heber City
• Snow-season prep in Park City
• Snow-season prep in Heber City
• Painting touch-ups in Park City
• Gutter cleaning in Kamas
• Snow-season prep in Kamas
• Handyman in Park City
• Handyman in Kamas
• Handyman in Heber City
• Handyman in Samak
• Handyman in Woodland
• Handyman in Midway
• Handyman in Coalville
• All towns we serve

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Ice dam FAQ

We focus on general handyman work and are not a licensed electrical, plumbing or general contracting company. For jobs that need a licensed trade, we'll tell you upfront and point you in the right direction.