Roof and attic
Standing water finds gaps under tabs and flashing. Insulation soaks, vents ice over, and the smell of damp wood often shows up before the stain does.
Ice dams
Ice dams tear off gutters and leak into walls.
We remove ice dams with low-pressure steam and fix the root causes so they do not come back. Serving Minneapolis, St. Paul, and western Wisconsin.
500+
homes across the Twin Cities
62,000
ft of seamless gutter installed
5 ★
78 reviews on Google
5 min
average reply during business hours
Ice dams explained
Ice dams are a Minnesota winter problem — not a mystery.
An ice dam is a ridge of ice at the cold roof edge. Warm attic air melts snow higher on the roof; meltwater runs down, refreezes at the overhang, and pools behind that ridge until it finds a path under the shingles.
In Minneapolis, St. Paul, and western Wisconsin that cycle repeats every season with deep cold, heavy snow, and freeze–thaw swings. Gutters show the damage — twisted runs, torn hangers, frozen troughs — but the engine is heat loss and a blocked drain path at the eave.
This hub covers what ice dams do, how we remove them safely with steam, and how to prevent ice before the next pack of snow. No chainsaws, no roof salt, no guessing.
- Steam ice dam removal that protects shingles and gutters
- Prevention with heat cables and honest attic guidance
- Service across the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin
- Next-morning priority for active leaks when schedules allow
Ice dam services
Start with removal if water is already inside. Start with prevention if you know which eaves load up every January.
Ice dams in Minnesota
What ice dams actually do to a Twin Cities house
Ice dams are not “winter décor.” They are a ridge of ice at the eave that backs meltwater under shingles — and Minnesota winters give them every chance to form.
Gutters and fascia
A dam sitting in the trough can tear hangers, twist the run, and pull soft fascia boards with it when the ice finally lets go.
Interior finishes
Water travels along joists and reappears feet away from the entry point — ceiling paint, drywall, and sometimes the wall cavity behind baseboards.
Minnesota winters make ice dams common — not inevitable
Deep cold, heavy snow, and freeze–thaw swings around Minneapolis and St. Paul create the classic setup: warm attic air melts the upper roof pack, meltwater runs to a cold overhang, and the eave refreezes into a dam. Western Wisconsin river-valley homes see the same pattern on north and shaded elevations.
Clearing leaves helps a little by keeping the trough from freezing into a solid plug, but it does not stop heat loss through the attic. That is why homeowners who “just cleaned the gutters” still get ice dams every January. The durable path is safe ice dam removal when water is already backing up, then prevent ice with heat cables and honest ventilation guidance before the next season.
We serve roughly 140 miles from Rockford, MN, including the metro and Hudson / River Falls on the Wisconsin side. Price ice work in the ice calculator, or start with gutter services and gutter guards if the trough itself is part of the winter failure.
Why it happens
An ice dam is a heat problem, not a gutter problem
Understanding this saves people money every winter in Minnesota — because it explains why cleaning the gutters again will not help.
-
1
Warm air escapes into the attic
Heat leaks up through recessed lights, the attic hatch, bathroom fans and gaps around ductwork. The attic sits warmer than the outside air.
-
2
Snow on the upper roof melts
That warmth passes through the deck and melts the underside of the snow layer — even when the air outside is well below freezing.
-
3
Meltwater runs down to the eave
The water travels under the snow toward the edge of the roof, which overhangs the wall and stays at outdoor temperature.
-
4
It refreezes at the cold edge
Over the unheated overhang the water freezes again, building a ridge of ice. This ridge is the dam.
-
5
Water backs up behind the dam
New meltwater pools behind the ice with nowhere to go. Standing water finds its way under the shingles, which are designed to shed water running down, not sitting still.
-
6
It appears inside the house
Stains on the ceiling near an outside wall, damp insulation, sometimes water running down inside the wall cavity. By this stage the repair is drywall, not gutters.
Where gutters do come into it
A blocked gutter holds standing water that freezes solid, giving the dam a head start and adding weight the hangers were never sized for. Clear gutters do not prevent ice dams — but a gutter full of frozen debris makes the damage worse and often tears the run off the fascia.
Removal methods
Four ways to get ice off a roof
Three of them damage the roof. We use the fourth, and it is worth knowing why before someone with a hammer offers you a cheap price.
Low-pressure steam
What we doSteam melts a channel through the ice at roughly the temperature of hot water, with no impact and no chemicals. Shingles keep their granules, flashing stays sealed. Slower and it costs more — which is the honest trade-off.
Chipping with a hammer or axe
NeverFast, cheap and the most common cause of roof damage we see in spring. Frozen shingles are brittle; a chisel cracks them and tears the mat underneath. The leak that appears in April started here.
Rock salt or ice-melt pucks
AvoidMelts a hole locally but corrodes gutters, hangers and flashing, kills the planting below the eave, and the runoff refreezes further down the roof — often creating a second dam.
Pressure washer with hot water
AvoidLooks similar to steam but is not. High pressure strips granules from shingles, and every granule lost is roof life lost. Some crews use it because the machine is cheaper.
If a contractor quotes ice dam removal at a price that seems too good in February, ask what equipment they are bringing. The answer usually explains the price.
After the ice is gone
Removal stops the leak. Prevention stops the repeat.
Steam clears today’s dam. Heat cables, attic air sealing, and a trough that is not frozen solid decide whether February looks the same. We connect those pieces instead of selling one without the other.
If the gutter itself is crushed or seam-leaking, pair ice work with seamless gutters or guards so the next melt has somewhere to go.
- Link removal to a clear prevention plan
- Gutter and guard options when the trough is part of the failure
- 5-year written warranty on installs we complete
- Metro + western Wisconsin within about 140 miles
Water coming in right now
What to do before anyone arrives
If there is already a stain spreading on the ceiling, these five minutes matter more than who you call.
1
Catch the water
Bucket under the drip, towels around it. If the ceiling is bulging, put a bucket underneath and pierce the bulge with a screwdriver — a controlled hole beats the whole panel coming down.
2
Move what matters
Electronics, documents and furniture out from under the leak. Water travels along joists and reappears several feet from where it entered.
3
Photograph everything
Ceiling, walls, the roof edge from outside, the icicles. Timestamped photos are what your insurer will ask for, and memory is not evidence.
4
Do not climb up
More people are hurt clearing ice than by the ice itself. A ladder on frozen ground with a roof rake overhead is how winters end in hospital.
5
Do not throw salt on the roof
It will melt a hole and corrode everything it runs across. If you must act, a leg of old tights filled with calcium chloride laid across the dam is the least destructive stopgap.
6
Turn the heat down slightly
Counter-intuitive but it works: a cooler attic slows the melting that feeds the dam. Open the attic hatch only if the space is dry.
Then call us
Ice work gets next-morning priority through the winter. We answer in about 5 minutes during business hours.
What it costs
Straight answer before you call
Prices below are for a typical single-story home with about 125 feet of roofline. Two stories add $1.50 per foot for ladder work.
| Service | Typical price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Seamless gutter installation | from $1,320 | gutters, downspouts, installation |
| Leaf guards | from $750 | material and fitting |
| Gutter cleaning | $150–300 | full clear-out plus photo report |
| Ice dam removal | from $450 | call-out and steam removal |
| Old gutter removal | $2 per foot | tear-off and haul away |
Get your exact price in 60 seconds
No visit, no phone tag — just an honest range for your house.
Free on-site measure
Want someone to come measure?
Skip the online calculator. Request a free visit — we measure the roofline in person, confirm the exact scope, and leave you with a clear number. No obligation.
-
We measure on site
Linear feet, stories, downspouts, and access — checked in person
-
Reply within 5 minutes
During business hours, seven days a week
-
Free either way
The measure visit is free whether you book the job or not
Measure visit requested
Your manager will call within 5 minutes to set a time to come measure.
Still deciding? Get the number first.
No visit, no obligation — just an honest range for your house in under a minute.