Roof Ice Dam Removal Near Ashland, Wisconsin
If you’re having an ice dam emergency in Ashland, Washburn, Cornucopia, Iron River, or anywhere in Ashland or Bayfield Counties, call the Ice Dam Guys® at 1-800-423-3267 (800-423-3267) for immediate scheduling! We’ve removed thousands of ice dams since 1995 and we’re the top-rated ice dam removal company in America. We are properly licensed, bonded, and insured.
Lake Superior is one of the Ice Dam Guys® favorite freshwater fishing destinations, but we don’t visit Ashland and Bayfield Counties come winter for the fishing. Nope, we come into your neck of the woods because living in and around Lake Superior produces a ton of intense weather that tends to pummel you via snow and ice. In fact, Ashland is one of the coldest places in Wisconsin with over 50% of your year reaching below-freezing temperatures (185 days for those curious). It should come as no surprise that with these conditions, Wisconsinites near the lake can get a lot of ice dams as below:
If you have ice on your roof that is producing extraordinarily large icicles or obvious damming as you see above, you’ve got an ice dam! Unlike when Oprah gives everyone a car, you don’t want to get one of these and if you see them forming in your neighborhood it’s wise to be on alert. That’s because an ice dam can commonly weigh over 1,000 pounds, which is a whole lotta bad news for your roof and interior spaces. Unfortunately, unless you’ve experienced one before, most homeowners don’t recognize the signs of an ice dam before they form as they can often hide beneath ever-increasing snow that accumulates on the roof.
One of the most common ways our clients learn they have an ice dam is from property damages that pop up. This will regularly be in the form of interior water leaks through your ceiling, even to the point of having partial or complete collapses. While these can often be spotted before a complete collapse, they’re still a pain to repair. Water will regularly travel through the attic’s insulation, through the sheetrock, and can impact all sorts of electrical systems. None of these factors include lingering moisture that can produce mold. Long story short, you don’t want ice dams because they can be destructive like this customer’s kitchen below:
Ice dams form when there are unseasonably warm temperature fluctuations compared to the prior days of a storm. This can occur naturally, such as when we get blessed with a particularly warm and sunny afternoon, or unnaturally, in the form of interior heat loss into your attic. Both of these scenarios warm the majority of your roof’s surface which encourages snowmelt. That seems like a win, right? Getting snow off the roof should prevent ice dams? Unfortunately, no.
The reason heat fluctuations and snowmelt create ice dams are because of your roof’s overhanging eaves and gutters. Unlike the rest of your home that is “capped off” by the attic space and roof, these areas are isolated and alone like Tom Hanks in Cast Away (Willlllsoooon!!!). Jokes aside, they really are “an island” compared to the mainland that is your home. They have no insulation and are surrounded by freezing temperatures both above via packed snow and below via the cold air. This means they can’t/won’t thaw as the rest of your roof has. That snowmelt reaches the frozen gutters and pools behind it. When the evening’s freezing temperatures return, that pool becomes a dam. Once you’re at that point, the only option is to remove it, which is where we come in!
Steam-Only Ice Dam Removal Throughout Ashland and Bayfield Counties
The Ice Dam Guys® have been fighting ice dams since 1995, which is the same year the band Oasis released “Wonderwall“. Dating ourselves much?! The good news for you is that over those 25+ years we have literally changed the game when it comes to ice dam removal.
When we started out, most of the existing options for ice dam removal were more akin to brute-force than anything too refined. Contractors would regularly use hot water power washers, ice picks, steel shovels, and even flames to break down and weather the ice dam. Unfortunately, many contractors still use these methods and we have to warn you about the potential damages they can produce. We never liked them and thought there had to be a better way, which is why we invented and trademarked our in-house beast, Steamzilla™!
Nothing compares to only using steam to remove ice dams – nothing! It is incredibly gentle to protect your home while being so effective that we always remove the ice dam. It’s a hoot to watch too, as our technician will walk the perimeter of your roof while slicing and dicing the ice dam. What you’re left with are an ice-free roof and free-flowing gutters! Here’s one of our techs doing this for a visual aid:
We cannot caution you enough – avoid contractors and seasonal roofers who want to climb on your home’s roof with any of the dated and harmful methods we listed above. It’s like using sandpaper instead of steam for a facial – why would you?! Hot water power washing is too aggressive and leads to damaged shingles, along with putting more water on your roof. Tools like ice picks, hammers, and steel shovels provide tons of opportunities to damage your home with a missed connection. Flames are a hard pass. Salt and ice melt often seem appealing and they can work but they also produce corrosive runoff that can damage your home’s expensive siding and concrete.
On the other end of the spectrum is Steamzilla™ pumping out nothing but gentle steam by a technician with years of experience clearing icy roofs. You called us because you worried about your home, let us gently remove the problem so your home stays intact and undamaged!
Ashland Ice Dam Removal Experts
Wisconsin property owners have trusted the Ice Dam Guys® for over 25 years to handle all their ice dam emergencies. As they should since we’re properly licensed, bonded, and insured with a General Liability policy to provide comprehensive protection to our clients. It’s because of our track record and the results we provide our customers that we’re able to serve Ashland and Bayfield Counties entirely. You can find us hauling our machines through:
Benoit, Delta, Drummond, Grand View, Highbridge, Iron River, Marengo, Mason, Mellen, Moquah, Saxon, Sutherland, Washburn, Cornucopia, and White River, WI.
If you’ve ever had an ice dam before, you know emergency removal can be costly. That said, we want to make sure you know who we are, what we do, and why you can trust us. That’s why we’d encourage you to Google “Ice Dam Guys reviews” and see what thousands of past customers say about us. Whether you read through hundreds of 5-star reviews at Google, confirm our accreditation and A+ standing with the BBB, or see what Angi or Yelp have to say, we’re confident we’re the #1 choice!
We look forward to working with you and helping you today!
Call us now at 1-800-423-3267 for same-day / next-day ice dam removal for your Ashland-area home.
