Ice Dam Removal Service Ontario | Emergency Ice Dam Prevention

Professional Ice Dam Removal Services Across Ontario

Every winter, thousands of Ontario homes deal with ice dams. These thick ridges of ice form along roof edges when temperatures swing between freezing and thawing, blocking water from draining properly. That trapped water backs up under your shingles and leaks into walls, ceilings, and insulation. Our network connects you with experienced ice dam removal specialists across Ontario who use safe steam removal methods and provide permanent prevention solutions.

Here's the thing about ice dam removal: it needs specialized equipment and knowhow. Most homeowners who try DIY methods with hammers, chisels, or roof rakes end up causing more damage than the ice dam itself. Punctured shingles, torn flashings, damaged gutters. Professional steam removal melts the ice without touching your roof, giving you immediate relief while contractors assess what's causing the problem in the first place.

Whether you're dealing with active leaks right now, want preventive removal after a heavy snowfall, or need a permanent fix to stop ice dams from forming next winter, our network contractors have the equipment and expertise to protect your home through Ontarios harsh winters.

What Are Ice Dams?

Ice dams form through a simple but destructive cycle. Heat escapes from your home into the attic space, warming the underside of your roof. That warmth melts the snow sitting on top, and the water runs down toward the edge. But here's where the problem starts: your roof overhang has no heat source below it, so when that melted water reaches the cold eave, it freezes solid.

This process repeats with every warm-cold cycle Ontario throws at you. The ice grows into a thick ridge along your roof edge, sometimes reaching 6 to 12 inches thick and extending 2 to 6 feet up the slope. Once that dam forms, water can't drain off your roof anymore. It pools behind the ice, finds its way under shingles, and seeps through your roof deck into your home.

How to spot ice dams on your roof

Outside, look for a visible ice ridge along your roof edge. Large icicles hanging from gutters are a warning sign, though not every icicle means you have an ice dam. If your roof looks clear while the ground is still covered in snow, that's a red flag. Ice accumulating in roof valleys is another giveaway.

Inside your home, watch for water stains on ceilings or walls near exterior walls. Dripping water from ceiling fixtures, peeling paint, or bulging drywall all point to an ice dam problem. Check your attic for damp insulation, and trust your nose if you smell mold or mildew.

Not all icicles mean ice dams exist, but they're warning signs of the conditions that create them.

Why Ice Dams Form in Ontario Homes

The biggest culprit behind ice dams is insufficient attic insulation. Ontario building code now requires R-60 attic insulation for new construction, but many older homes sit at R-20 to R-30. That's not enough. Low insulation let's too much heat escape into your attic, warming the roof and melting snow. The fix is straightforward: add insulation to prevent that heat loss, and you prevent the melting that starts the whole cycle.

Common insulation problems include insufficient depth, compressed insulation that lost its R-value, and gaps around chimneys, hatches, and penetrations. Sometimes insulation gets pushed away from the eaves, creating an air bypass that defeats the whole purpose.

Proper attic ventilation keeps your attic temperature equal to the outside air. A cold attic prevents snow melt. The Ontario building code requires at least 1 square foot of vent area per 300 square feet of attic floor. Many homes fall short, with blocked soffit vents or inadequate ridge venting creating warm pockets that melt snow.

Roof geometry plays a role too. Valleys collect snow and melt slowly. Dormers create transition points where ice forms easily. Low-slope sections drain slowly, and multiple roof lines mean lower roofs catch snow and water from above. North-facing slopes get less sun exposure, so they melt slower and refreeze more often.

Clogged gutters filled with debris prevent proper drainage, causing water to back up and freeze. Ice-filled gutters make the problem worse, and undersized gutters can't handle the melt volume during thaw cycles.

Ontarios climate creates perfect ice dam conditions. Daytime temperatures hover just above freezing (0 to 5°C) while nights drop well below (-5 to -15°C). Those repeated freeze-thaw cycles, combined with heavy snow cover and sunny days on south-facing slopes, set the stage for ice dam formation. Southern Ontario from Windsor to Toronto to Ottawa sees particularly bad ice dam problems due to frequent temperature swings near Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

Heat sources in your living space contribute too. Recessed lighting penetrating the attic leaks heat. Bathroom fans venting into the attic instead of outside, improperly sealed attic hatches, cathedral ceilings without proper insulation or ventilation, and heating ducts in the attic all pump warm air where it doesn't belong.

Damage Caused by Ice Dams

Ice dams cause serious damage fast. Water backs up under your shingles and drips into walls and ceilings. Your insulation gets soaked and loses its R-value. Drywall stains, swells, and can even collapse. Water travels down inside walls and damages flooring below.

The damage gets worse over time. Mold starts growing within 24 to 48 hours in wet materials. Wood rot sets into your sheathing, rafters, and framing. Paint peels inside and out. The weight of ice tears gutters away from your fascia, and water rots the trim boards.

Safety hazards pile up too. Large chunks of ice fall near entrances. Heavy icicles can weigh 50 to 100 pounds or more. Ice-filled gutters pull away from the building, and water contacting electrical wiring creates shock risks.

The financial hit depends on how bad it gets. Minor damage runs $1,000 to $3,000 for ceiling repairs and paint. Moderate damage costs $3,000 to $8,000 when you need drywall and insulation replacement. Severe cases hit $8,000 to $25,000 or more for structural repairs, mold remediation, and roof damage.

Home insurance often covers ice dam damage, but filing repeated claims isn't a good strategy. Insurers start pushing for prevention measures after multiple claims, and your premiums go up.

Safe Ice Dam Removal Methods

Steam removal is the only safe method for removing ice dams without damaging your roof. A professional-grade low-pressure steam machine carefully cuts channels through the ice dam, creating drainage paths for trapped water. The operator removes ice without any mechanical force, and the job typically takes 2 to 6 hours depending on the size.

The advantages are clear. Zero roof damage because there's no scraping, chipping, or pounding. Complete ice removal is possible, and you get immediate drainage channels. Contractors can inspect the underlying roof while they're up there, and steam works even in extreme cold. In Ontario, expect to pay $400 to $600 per hour for steam removal, with most jobs running $800 to $2,400 for an average home.

Methods that damage your roof

Don't use hammers, chisels, or axes. They puncture and tear shingles, damage flashings, break the underlying roof deck, and void warranties. Most DIY attempts cause more damage than the ice dam itself.

Roof rakes used aggressively rip off shingles, damage tabs and edges, and tear flashing installations. They're only safe for removing surface snow before ice forms.

Salt and chemical melters damage shingles, flashings, and gutters. They corrode metal components, harm landscaping below, and don't work well in cold temperatures anyway. Some products void manufacturer warranties.

Heat cables can't remove ice dams once they form. They're only effective as prevention before ice builds up, and improper installation creates fire hazards.

Emergency temporary measures

If you can't get professional help immediately, you can carefully create a small drainage channel through the ice without damaging the roof. The pantyhose method works too: fill pantyhose with calcium chloride and lay it across the dam for mild melting. Inside, use buckets and tarps to catch water, and take photos for insurance documentation.

These are temporary fixes only. Schedule professional removal as soon as possible.

Emergency Ice Dam Removal Service

When ice dams cause active leaks, immediate response prevents thousands in damage. Call for emergency service if water is dripping from your ceiling right now, if you see large ice dams 6 inches thick or more extending up your roof, or if gutters are pulling away from the building. Preventive removal after heavy snowfall makes sense too, especially in areas with a history of ice dam problems.

Most contractors offer same-day or next-day service during peak season. After initial contact and severity assessment, removal takes 2 to 6 hours depending on the extent of the ice dam. Drainage channels stop active leaking immediately, and contractors provide prevention recommendations for the future.

Peak season pricing from December to March runs $800 to $1,500 for standard emergency calls. Severe ice dam removal costs $1,500 to $3,000, and multiple locations on your roof can hit $2,000 to $4,000. After-hours or weekend service adds $200 to $500 to the bill.

Home insurance often covers emergency ice dam removal. Keep your receipts and documentation.

Permanent Ice Dam Prevention Solutions

The most effective long-term solution is improving your attic insulation. Upgrade to R-60 or higher, which is now the Ontario building code standard for new construction. Before adding insulation, seal all air leaks. Make sure you have uniform coverage with no thin spots, install baffles to maintain ventilation airflow, and use blown-in insulation to fill gaps. This typically costs $1,500 to $4,000 for a standard attic and pays for itself through energy savings and damage prevention.

Enhancing attic ventilation keeps your attic cold and equal to outside temperature. Install continuous ridge venting along the peak, add adequate soffit vents for intake air at the eaves, and balance the system with equal intake and exhaust. Baffles maintain airflow from soffit to ridge. Ontario building code requires a 1:300 ratio, meaning 1 square foot of vent area per 300 square feet of attic floor. Ventilation upgrades run $800 to $2,500.

Heat cables offer a preventive measure for high-risk areas. Electric cables run along your roof edge and gutters, creating channels for water drainage. You plug them in before snow events, and thermostat control makes them more effective. But heat cables aren't a permanent solution, just a band-aid approach. Installation costs $800 to $2,000, with annual electricity costs of $50 to $200. The upside is immediate prevention for problem areas. The downside is ongoing electricity costs, maintenance requirements, and no fix for the root cause.

During roof replacement, upgrade your ice and water shield. Install it 6 feet or more up from the eaves and cover valleys completely. This provides backup protection if ice dams form. Building code requires 3 feet, but extending to 6 to 10 feet in problem areas makes sense. The additional cost during roof replacement is $300 to $800.

Gutter and drainage improvements help too. Clean gutters twice yearly at minimum, install gutter guards to prevent debris buildup, make sure gutters have proper slope for drainage, upgrade undersized gutters if needed, and extend downspouts away from your foundation.

Preventive snow removal after heavy snowfalls stops ice dams before they start. Use a roof rake to carefully remove snow from the lower 3 to 4 feet of your roof edge before it melts and refreezes. Hire professionals for steep or high roofs. DIY roof rakes cost $30 to $80, while professional removal runs $200 to $500.

Air sealing is a must before adding insulation. Seal around chimney penetrations, attic hatch perimeters, recessed light fixtures, plumbing and electrical penetrations, and the top plates of walls. Professional air sealing costs $500 to $1,500.

Ice Dam Removal & Prevention Costs

Cost-benefit analysis

Let's look at a home with recurring ice dam problems. If you do nothing, you'll pay around $1,500 per year for ice dam removal, another $800 per year for minor damage repairs, and face major damage costing $5,000 to $15,000 every 3 to 5 years. Over 10 years, that adds up to $25,000 to $50,000.

Compare that to a prevention investment. Insulation plus ventilation upgrades cost about $5,000 upfront and eliminate ice dams permanently. You'll save $300 to $600 per year on energy costs. Over 10 years, your net cost is $5,000 minus $3,000 in energy savings, or $2,000. That's a savings of $23,000 to $48,000 compared to doing nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions