On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 22:11:08 -0600, "Jmagerl"
wrote:

I've used old pantyhose filled with salt. Makes a nice channel. IF you want
a really fast melt, I agree with the garden hose squirting hot water.

If you don't have pantyhoses, like most of us, try a sock. As for
Salt, you might want to use on of those that are more lawn friendly,
like magnesium cloride. So you don't kill the area around your down
spouts.

hth,



"Hamilton Audio" wrote in message
news:CxGEd.46138$Xk.21482@pd7tw3no...
I've got a pathetically short little vent on the roof of my house that the
upstairs bathroom fan is attached to. The house also has a very shallow
pitch, so it collects a lot of snow rather than shedding it. It only
takes 3 or 4 inches of snow cover to completely submerge the vent - this
means its melting snow - which caused an ice dam and water to back up last
year (our first year in the house).

so this year, i'm playing safe - have a ladder and roof rake at the ready
on the deck so that if it snows any significant amount, I can clear an
area around the vent so it doesn't cause another ice dam.

problem - my wife doesn't listen. on a few occaisions now we'd had
notable snowfall - and yet she still used the fan in the morning. yes - I
now have a buildup of ice downstream from the vent (which is about 4 feet
from the eave of the house). there is a bare spot of about 12" round from
her using it again this morning!! I'm now worried if we go much further
with it, we'll for sure have another ice dam...

1. other than expensive and clumsy electric wire solutions, what can I
use to perform a 1-time thawing of this ice buildup - just so it doesn't
allow an ice dam to form? I was thinking about a chemical ice melter.
I've seen them recommend it for roofs before....

2. there is such a thing as a much taller bathroom vent, right? what is
a typical charge for a roofer to come in and replace the crappy small one
with one of substantially more height? (I'd need one about 14" tall if
possible) I'm looking for a ballpark so the roofer doesn't try and rip me
off.

3. since the situation is much "after the fact", installing de-icing
cables will be a pain, if not impossible. any other solutions to opening
up the area right in front of the vent....in case wifey forgets /yet
again/ ?

thanks for all the insight...

b




Tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com