There are several ice dam steaming methods that most companies will use. It is fairly common to steam ice dams from a ladder especially if the roof is steep, slippery, delicate or extremely high. The other common ice dam steaming method would be to steam the ice dams from the roof. This practice is most common on flatter pitches with one to three story buildings. Steaming from the roof may require companies to use safety harness and be tied off.
A not so common method would be to steam ice dams from a lift, boom, cherry picker etc. This method is essential if the building is four stories or more or is a commercial building with ice on the exterior walls. Some companies can hang off the outside of a commercial building with a chair and a roof rig similar to what window cleaners would use. We believe these are the most common ice dam steaming methods.
Ice dam steaming always starts with proper snow removal techniques. The methods for removing snow from a roof should always involve plastic or poly snow removal equipment such as roof rakes and shovels. Metal equipment should never be used on roofs!
We hope that this covers the most common ice dam steaming methods. If you have questions regarding a more technical method please don’t hesitate to call IDSAFE # 612-460-0474 or contact us through our website. Thank you so much for learning.