There are several ice dam steaming requirements that you must know before hiring an ice dam removal company. The majority of low pressure ice dam steaming companies will require the following things on your property to be able to run their equipment.
The first requirement that all ice dam steaming companies need is access to a cold water source (if a company wants to use hot water they are not running low pressure steam equipment and you should NOT hire them!) The cold water source should be able to provide at least 2.5 gallons per minute. For example, the water source can be a laundry tub, sink, a washing machine hook up, a shower/tub or an outside hose bib. In some cases the only source of water is the outside hose bib. If this is the case a heat gun can be used if needed to open the valve.
The second requirement that most low pressure ice dam steaming companies require is access to the fuse panel to identify the proper 20 amp outlets for their machine to be plugged into. These outlets are typical in bath rooms, garages, kitchens and outside receptacles. Using a GFI outlet is also helpful. If you have the old style glass fuses it may be necessary to run the steamer from a generator. Some low pressure steamers do run their own gas motor but the majority of low pressure steam units are electric. Take extra caution if someone does not need power because as stated above most low pressure steamers will require a power source.
The third requirement that most ice dam steaming companies require is a clear level spot to park a truck. Ice dam steaming equipment should be run on flat level ground because it is not good on the equipment to be run at an angle. Having all these thing prepared before arrival can save time and money.
We hope that these simple ice dam steaming requirements came in handy and possibly saved you some time and money when hiring an ice dam steaming company. Please consider hiring our members before hiring non members to avoid allowing the wrong ice dam removal equipment to damage your roof. Our members all use the correct low pressure steamers. Simply look for our logo on their website and click on it to verify them. If you are having trouble finding our members in your area, please call IDSAFE # 612-460-0474 or contact us for assistance. We try to reply quickly!