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Ice Dam and Snow Removal

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas. The picture to the right shows a cross section of a home with an ice dam. The Gopher Company has the experienced staff and tools to remove the ice dam and save your home! The Gopher Company only uses ice removing steam machines to remove the ice dams from your roof, gutters and downspouts. We do not use any sharp tools that will damage your roof and gutters.

What causes an ice dam?

There is a complex interaction among the amount of heat loss from a house, snow cover, and outside temperatures that leads to ice dam formation. For Ice dams to form, there must be snow on the roof, and, at the same time, higher portions of the roof's outside surface must be above 32°F while the lower surfaces are below 32°F. For a portion of the roof to be below 32°F, outside temperatures must also be below 32°F. When we say temperatures above or below 32°F, we are talking about average temperature over sustained periods of time.