Ice Dam

[wslayer]

I bought one of those cords I was going to use to thaw gutters. Never used it as chisel and hammer was my tools. Most ice chunks came out in 8-14" pieces. My mistake, got 2 small slices in gutter with chisel. Flex seal tape when dries. Took the heat cord back. Kinda wish I would have tried it at least. Not really design to just lay on the ice .

 

[NodakBob]

Judicious use of a hatchet worked for me in the thick ice 4-10”…just need to hit a couple well placed chops (only goes in the ice an inch or two) and it came in 1-2 liter-size chunks …but I’m a hatchet guy…

 

[CatDaddy]

Just bombed the roof about 6-8 feet back from the eaves with these bad boys. Calcium chloride pucks, same size they use in hockey. I'll report back on how they work.

Did it from the ground - felt like I was tossing bags with the boys. First yard games of the year!

Turns out the heat cord I ordered from Lowe's wasn't in stock. Won't be here until Wednesday. Might be just in time to not need it anymore and return it.

 

[Allen]

I've used the roof melt pucks before. You get a pretty good sized pile of them away from where you really want them if you are chucking them up on the roof from ground level.

 

[NodakBob]

I have heard good things about the salt pucks...put em in a line so they melt a drainage channel off the roof ice

 

[Big C]

I have looked at the salt pucks but wondered if there were any issues where the water drains onto the grass. Do you end up with large dead areas or no issues?

 

[1bigfokker]

Minnsnowta.com and get one of these for next year. Had a good neighbor do mine yesterday and problem solved. Sun took care of the rest.

 

[CatDaddy]

I've used the roof melt pucks before. You get a pretty good sized pile of them away from where you really want them if you are chucking them up on the roof from ground level.

Allen - I forgot to mention I'm a 3 time world champion puck chucker. Every tablet was perfectly placed!

 

[risingsun]

Allen - I forgot to mention I'm a 3 time world champion puck chucker. Every tablet was perfectly placed!

SOOOOOO.........how many pucks can a champion puck chuker chuck?

 

[Maddog]

Knock on wood, but I religiously go around the house after every snow storm of a couple of inches with a roof rake. Take off about the bottom 4' of snow trying to be careful to not damage the shingles. ha. I am then surprised that with minimal sunlight the bottom portion of the roof completely clears of any snow. I have one valley that would be come a problem child if I didn't do this. Something to consider.

 

[Wall-eyes]

They make roof salt. I just take hatchet and carefully remove part causing issues

 

[Wall-eyes]

I roof rake area's in winter that are bad helps as above keep gutters clean

 

[BDub]

The hatchet worked well today. I started with pucks a while ago.

 

[NodakBob]

We also used a 1” auger drill bit on my son’s roof…drill a line of them holes and then chop it off

 

[bucksnbears]

You guys chopping/drilling holes are awefull brave $$$
Takes very little (fuck_up) to compromise the whole roof!