My parents live in a frame home. Their experience is:
1) Ice pick works much better than a hatchet for clearing
ice. Also makes much less damage if you cut through the ice.
Ice pick holes in tar shingles are generally self sealing.
2) Blowing in a bunch of cellulose into the space over the
ceiling stopped the icicles, and ice dams. Venting also
helped, so the air over the ceiling is not as warm.

As a stop gap maneuver, a roof snow rake may help pull down
some of that snow.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Pauli G" wrote in message
...
We presently have substantial ice dams on a roof that was
done about a
year and a half ago (complete rip-off of old shingles down
to plywood,
installed 30-year GAF architectural shingles). Our
contractor, a
really reputable firm in my area, installed the ice & water
shield
under the shingles along the edges of the roof. Long story
short, we
are getting water intrusion into the house now from melting
ice/
snow. Isn't the ice & water shield supposed to be a
foolproof way
of protecting against this, or is it only a half-measure?
Also,
what are my alternatives right now? Just let it melt off?
Or should
I get it shoveled, and if I do so, will this damage my
semi-new roof?