How to Make a very effective
Ice Dam Breaker for your Roof for $20.00

This graphic shows how "ice dams" form on your roof.


Click for the full December, 2000 Glenn Haege Article on Ice Damming
Other recent Mr Hardware.com articles on "ice dams": Article 1 - Article 2 - Article 3
  1. I just got a digital camera and these are the first pictures I took with them. Pictured below is what the "ice dam" on the back of my home looked like on January 27, 2001. Abnormally heavy snow visited Troy Michigan just prior to Christmas in December, 2000. What's shown in this picture is an extremely effective "Ice Dam Breaker" made with your garden hose and $20.00 worth of materials available at any hardware store. Hook up the end of the hose to any (the closest available) hot water tap.
    First, from the ground, "drill through" and melt the big, thick ice block in your gutter . . . going back just to where where your roof line begins. Clear a 12 - 15 inch width. (You want to "see the first of your shingles".) You'll be amazed as to how quickly a "fine pointed bead" of hot water will melt the accumulated "ice ledge."
    Finally (and this is the easy, but time-consuming part) just hang the end of your hose onto the "ice ledge" by the grappling hooks, as pictured here. Using a "very fine, slow running     hot water spray" just turn on the tap and "let it run." Check on your progress every 20-30 minutes.
    "Click on" this picture for further explanation of how to break an "ice dam."

Click on picture for larger picture and more information.

First. Turn on the Hot water at the tap. Adjust water flow at the hose nozzle to a very slow, fine "needle point spray" and "melt" about a one foot (or so) width of all the ice in the gutter all the way back to the roof (down to shingles). You'll find that a "very fine point" with HOT water will melt the ice like a dentist's drill going through a tooth.

Next, after ALL the ice from the gutter to the roofline is melted, then adjust the nozzle to a slow, very fine spray and "hang" the hose on top of the protruding "ice dam" and go in the house and have a cup of coffee. Allow the "hot spray" to "spray onto" the icepack. Check every 15 minutes or so to adjust the direction of the spray, as required. Click on picture for enlargement

 

  1. This is view of the "working end" of the "Ice Dam Melter." It shows the "grappling hook-type end" made from a set of nylon "bicycle hangers" (for use in your garage) taped to the top of a painting "extension pole" and the end of a garden hose. Click on picture for enlargement.

    2. Click on picture for enlargement.

     

  2. This is what the whole simple apparatus looks like when laid out. Extension pole is re-tracted.

    3. 'Ice Dam Breaker' head and hose laid out to show full view. Note: The 12' pole is retracted.

     

  3. This shows scrap wood chips inserted between the hose and the two grappling hooks. The wood chips are held in place by securely taping them into position. These little wood blocks "spread the feet" of the "grappling hook." This enables better control for hanging and "aiming" the directed hot water spray. Click on picture for enlarged view and more info.

    4. Click for more info and enlarged picture.

     

  4. This shows how Duct tape is used to firmly secure the components in place:

    5.  

  5. This picture, taken on January 27, 2001, show the icicles hanging from an Ice Dam "broken" on December 28, 2000
    Note: The December Ice Dam was "broken" using the above techniques, but the residue of the 12-15 inch wide "break" remains, with icicles forming below it. Click on picture for enlargement.

Click for enlargement.

 

The "bill of materials" for this very effective dam buster is shown below. It assumes you have a common garden hose and $5.00 roll of "Duct tape."

"Ice is Heavy"
Two days later
January 29, 2001
A warm (over 40 degrees), foggy day,

How to use the "Garden Hose Dam Breaker"