Prevent ice dams
We install heat cables, improve ventilation paths, and give honest advice on insulation — so you can prevent ice dams through Minneapolis and St. Paul winters.
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
Instant estimate
No email required — move the sliders and see a real local range.
Root causes
Ice dams form when warm attic air melts the upper snow pack and the cold overhang refreezes the runoff. That is why “prevent ice” work starts above the ceiling, not with another bottle of ice melt on the roof.
Heat cables open melt channels along the eave, trough, and downspouts so water can leave. Attic air sealing and insulation reduce how much snow melts in the first place. Clear, sound gutters keep frozen debris from giving the dam a head start.
We sell the layers that fit your house — and we will not call cables a cure when the attic is the real engine. Minnesota winters are long enough that honesty beats a one-visit upsell.
Prevent ice dams
To prevent ice dams in Minneapolis winters you address heat, drainage, and the trough — in that order. Skipping the attic conversation and only buying cables is how people pay twice.
Attic
Seal big air leaks (hatches, recessed lights, bath fans) and keep insulation continuous so the roof deck stays cold. A cold deck melts less snow. We assess what we can see from the hatch and tell you when an insulation contractor belongs in the plan.
Heat cables
Cables along the eave, in the gutter, and down the spout create melt channels so water can leave instead of pooling behind a ridge. They manage ice — they do not fix a warm attic by themselves.
Gutters & guards
A trough full of frozen leaves is a ready-made ice shelf. Clean runs, sound hangers, and the right guards reduce that head start. See gutter services and guards if the channel itself is failing every season.
Typical layout follows the cold edge: zig-zag or parallel runs over the first few feet of shingle, a continuous line in the gutter trough, and a drop into each downspout that freezes shut. North elevations, valleys that dump onto a lower eave, and long overhangs get priority — those are where Twin Cities ice dams form first after a heavy snow and a mild day.
We install cables when access is safe — late summer and fall are ideal, mid-winter when the roof can be worked without adding risk. Pricing is quoted after we measure the edge and count outlets; there is no honest flat number that fits every ranch and every two-story craftsman. Use the ice calculator for a starting range, then we confirm on site.
Already leaking? Start with steam ice dam removal, then come back to prevention. Pair cables with seamless gutters when the trough is twisted or seam-leaking, and with gutter guards when debris is the winter plug. Workmanship on installs we do carries a 5-year written warranty.
Heat cables will not cure a wide-open attic or a missing soffit vent path. Guards will not stop meltwater from an overheated roof deck. If the right fix is insulation you do not have yet, we say that — and we will not sell a cable job as a miracle when it is only a temporary channel through next February.
Already have a dam?
If water is in the house now, start with steam ice dam removal. Prevention planning is the second conversation — after the leak is stopped and the eave is safe to work.
Homes that repeat every year usually need more than one tool: cables plus attic work, or a new seamless run where the old trough failed under ice load.
What it costs
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 |
No visit, no phone tag — just an honest range for your house.
The same manager stays with your project from the first call to the final walkthrough.
Move three sliders and see a real range. No form, no waiting.
Your manager checks the roofline and calls back within 5 minutes.
Choose a slot that works. We show up when we said we would.
Gutters rolled on site, installed, debris hauled away — most homes in one day.
Recent work
Every project below is ours — address area, actual price and time on site. These are representative jobs from our 500+ projects across the Twin Cities.
Burnsville, MN
168 ft · 2 stories
Minneapolis, MN
212 ft · 2 stories
Hudson, WI
95 ft · 1 story
Where we work
We cover the metro and western Wisconsin within about 140 miles. Not on the list? Call us — if we can't help, we'll tell you who can.
Free on-site 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
Your manager will call within 5 minutes to set a time to come measure.
No visit, no obligation — just an honest range for your house in under a minute.