With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed

Reed wrote:
With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed

As odd as it sounds go up the ladder and attack the ice with a good
load of road salt. It will melt the ice without causing any damage to
your shingles. People have been doing this around here for years.

wrote:
Reed wrote:

With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed


As odd as it sounds go up the ladder and attack the ice with a good
load of road salt. It will melt the ice without causing any damage to
your shingles. People have been doing this around here for years.


OK, I'll try some tomorrow. I assume, like a car, it would be good to
rinse everything later with water when possible.

Reed wrote:

As odd as it sounds go up the ladder and attack the ice with a good
load of road salt. It will melt the ice without causing any damage to
your shingles. People have been doing this around here for years.

OK, I'll try some tomorrow. I assume, like a car, it would be good to
rinse everything later with water when possible.

Don't be too generous with the chemistry: salt and brine dripped onto
plants below may damage or kill them. Of course, this is a potential
problem only if the great snows of Denver aren't permanent.

Reed wrote:
With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed

If you can get some icemelt just sprinkle a little on the ice in the
gutter , if not you can use any other salt granules you can get, (like
water softener salt) or just use table salt.

Too much salt will kill plants and grass so use as little as possible.
If the air temp is above freezing puring some warm water on the ice in
the gutters will work too.

wrote in message

As odd as it sounds go up the ladder and attack the ice with a good
load of road salt. It will melt the ice without causing any damage to
your shingles. People have been doing this around here for years.


And do NOT be tempted to break the ice with a hammer or scraper as it will
damage the shingles.

I have a friend that tried to start an "Ice Dam Removal Service" by
using the equipment from his carpet cleaning truck. He cleared the ice
dams off of my house and a few others as a "test". The process worked,
but insurance costs and others issues made it an non-viable operation.

He heated up the water in the tank in his truck and put a high pressure
nozzle on a hose. Next, he climbed up on the roof and using the high
pressure hot water, he cut vertical slots in the ice dam at roughly 2
foot intervals. He then under-cut the ice until huge chunks fell off
the roof.

You did not want to be under one of these chunks when they hit the
ground! If you've never seen an ice dam up close and personal, you
might not realize how little of the dam you see from the ground. By the
time the dam fills your gutter, they can extend 3 feet up the roof.
Some of the chunks he dropped were too big for one person to lift.

I'm sure you can see how this enterprise was wrought with potential
problems. Put a guy up on an icy roof, hand him a hose and ask him
spray water all over the place. Everything within 15 feet of the house
was coated with ice, we went through hundreds of gallons of water, and
ended up with a few broken bushes. You don't have much control about
where a chunk lands, so there could be damage to property.

But you know what? It was worth it - the dams had started to cause
water to run down inside the walls of my house and drip out of the trim
around the windows. One section of wall is an exterior wall on the
second floor only and melting water from the ice dam was running down
the inside of this wall and dripping in the doorways on the first floor
and basement. I had buckets everywhere and tarps hung in the doorways
to direct the water to the buckets. Once he cleared the dams (~5 hours
of work) the dripping stopped immediately.

The process worked, and while it probably saved my house from some
serious water damage, it was very labor intensive and fairly dangerous.
The problem was that he didn't think he could have charged enough per
job to make enough to live on considering it good take an entire day to
clear a major dam like I had on my house.

Reed wrote:
With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed

Reed wrote:
With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed
..
Remove gutters. No further problems.

in buffalo ny i have learned over the years: a hot water hose broke a
plastic pressure washer, it was not rated for hot water. a huge chunk
of ice on a shallow pitched upper porch during a thaw crashed into and
broke the first floor deck, we repaired it that spring. we have tried
to use a hot water hose out the second floor window but it does not put
much of a dent in the sidewalk snowpiles or ice, and it runs out to
cold before you have had any fun with it. at this moment your upcoming
four days rising into the sunny 40's are nightly complicated by
freezing nights, and the wind chill factor is a hidden danger to water
piper in exterior walls which don't belong there.
if the roof rafters are not insulated and there is a doorway to the
attic, open it and you will safely send up extra heat from the home to
the shingles, although electric roof de-icers may be in your future
next fall. you will generally find them sold out in the present winter
you are having. any other way to do an attack on the ice is generally
unsafe. buy the roof size giant tarps to cover any damage in advance
before you cause it. they may be sold out. it's only a good day for
watching tv when your temp is 25F and the wind chill is 2 degrees. do
not use a ladder at this temperature.
http://wwwa.accuweather.com/forecast...80201&metric=0
and hourly forecasts at:
http://wwwa.accuweather.com/forecast...our=7&hbhday=1


terry wrote:
Reed wrote:
With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed
.
Remove gutters. No further problems.

Me wrote: in response to "Remove gutters. No further problems".



That's fine for the desert where you live and it never rains.
..
Nah. Northeastern Canada. It rains and blows here a kilometre from the
North Atlantic. Snows too.
Although have only twice in some 36+ years had to actually shovel off
the roof. First time it took 13 hours shoveling and our estimate of the
weight of snow was a couple of tons!
On one of those occasions seriously considered hoisting the
snow-blower up on the roof and clearing it that way. But normally snow
just blows away. When ten inches of snow melts that's one inch of water
and sometimes quite quickly too.

Only used the blower (on the ground!) once so far this winter; it's
rained more than snowed. Compared to the amount of snow only a few
years ago probably due to global warming. Also acid rain which is
affecting clean water supplies.

Can't remember the annual rainfall here but it's considerable! A couple
of inches rain over several days would be quite normal. On both our
homes, since 1960, we have not installed gutters.
This 36+ year old house has sufficient overhangs (24 inches) to drop
water away from the basement wall. Although those overhangs do
sometimes catch the wind which quite often will hit 60 mph (100
kilometres) or more.

Experience by others seems to be that gutters can cause rot, overflow,
fill up with debris etc. And except for two short sections; one over
our front porch step and secondly the sliding glass doors from our
family room out onto the deck at the back would not be necessary
anyway?

So in a nut shell gutters seem unnecessary. If it's raining hard you
don't normally go in and out anyway! And if it's blowing, a common
occurrence, the water will go in various directions anyway.

Cheers. Have fun and get rid of the gutters!

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:57:13 GMT, Reed wrote:

With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed


Well I read this and I would figure on two things.

1. You're CRAZY, I thought global warming had Colorado like Florida
by now.

2. Wondered if you thought about using a non-corrosive ice melt?

tom @ www.MeetANewFriend.com

terry wrote:
Me wrote: in response to "Remove gutters. No further problems".



That's fine for the desert where you live and it never rains.
.
Nah. Northeastern Canada. It rains and blows here a kilometre from the
North Atlantic. Snows too.
Although have only twice in some 36+ years had to actually shovel off
the roof. First time it took 13 hours shoveling and our estimate of the
weight of snow was a couple of tons!
On one of those occasions seriously considered hoisting the
snow-blower up on the roof and clearing it that way. But normally snow
just blows away. When ten inches of snow melts that's one inch of water
and sometimes quite quickly too.

Only used the blower (on the ground!) once so far this winter; it's
rained more than snowed. Compared to the amount of snow only a few
years ago probably due to global warming. Also acid rain which is
affecting clean water supplies.

Can't remember the annual rainfall here but it's considerable! A couple
of inches rain over several days would be quite normal. On both our
homes, since 1960, we have not installed gutters.
This 36+ year old house has sufficient overhangs (24 inches) to drop
water away from the basement wall. Although those overhangs do
sometimes catch the wind which quite often will hit 60 mph (100
kilometres) or more.

Experience by others seems to be that gutters can cause rot, overflow,
fill up with debris etc. And except for two short sections; one over
our front porch step and secondly the sliding glass doors from our
family room out onto the deck at the back would not be necessary
anyway?

So in a nut shell gutters seem unnecessary. If it's raining hard you
don't normally go in and out anyway! And if it's blowing, a common
occurrence, the water will go in various directions anyway.

Cheers. Have fun and get rid of the gutters!

I too live in the northeast. Freeze / thaw. 4 seasons can occur in one
day. The purpose of the gutters on my home is to draw water away from
the foundation - not to keep me 1/2 dry when exiting my home. I do
question the 24" theory but whatever works for you. I do have a 3 foot
overhang on my A frame summer home however the slate roof and the pitch
is like teflon - nothing sticks to it. I'll keep that in mind if I
ever decide to replace the roof / trusses on my exhisting home. I
suspect the OP's use for rain gutters is the same as mine (foundation).
For now I still recc. salt for a slow melt and cables for next year.

use calcium chloride not rock salt
"Tom The Great" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:57:13 GMT, Reed wrote:

With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed


Well I read this and I would figure on two things.

1. You're CRAZY, I thought global warming had Colorado like Florida
by now.

2. Wondered if you thought about using a non-corrosive ice melt?

tom @ www.MeetANewFriend.com

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:43:05 -0500, "Gary Niskanen"
wrote:

use calcium chloride not rock salt

Anyone kow if calcium chroide is corrosive?

tom

"Tom The Great" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:57:13 GMT, Reed wrote:

With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed


Well I read this and I would figure on two things.

1. You're CRAZY, I thought global warming had Colorado like Florida
by now.

2. Wondered if you thought about using a non-corrosive ice melt?

tom @ www.MeetANewFriend.com

"Reed" wrote in message
link.net...


As odd as it sounds go up the ladder and attack the ice with a good
load of road salt. It will melt the ice without causing any damage to
your shingles. People have been doing this around here for years.


OK, I'll try some tomorrow. I assume, like a car, it would be good to
rinse everything later with water when possible.


Then when the spring arrives, call a roofer and ask about attic ventilation,
ridge vents, soffit vents and so on. Primary cause of ice dams is inadequate
attic ventilation and they will lead to long-term, major roof damage.

"Tom The Great" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:43:05 -0500, "Gary Niskanen"
wrote:

use calcium chloride not rock salt

Anyone kow if calcium chroide is corrosive?


Yes, it is at least somewhat corrosive. It is a combination of calcium and
chlorine.

"Tom The Great" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:43:05 -0500, "Gary Niskanen"
wrote:

use calcium chloride not rock salt

Anyone kow if calcium chroide is corrosive?

tom

Calcium Chloride is strongly hydroscopic - it attracts water and probably
would promote corrosion. It's also not something you want to eat, drink, or
feed to the birdies.


"Tom The Great" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:57:13 GMT, Reed wrote:

With the Denver area undergoing an unusually long cold spell, ice has
built up fairly solid in the gutters, and on lower shingles, on the
north side of house. The south side does get just enough sun to have
melted OK. In 20 years in this house, this has not happened before.

Is there a best way to remove this ice before any damage is done,
particularly if it ever warms up again around here ??

The gutter and eaves are first floor, easily reachable with ladder on
ground.

--reed


Well I read this and I would figure on two things.

1. You're CRAZY, I thought global warming had Colorado like Florida
by now.

2. Wondered if you thought about using a non-corrosive ice melt?

tom @ www.MeetANewFriend.com