It goes without saying that companies who don’t invest in the best equipment for Ice Dam Removal have a differing opinion about it. They –of course– want to defend their equipment and attempt to dispel the facts about steamers. Some even go as far to say that they have special equipment that they modified themselves, to which conventional wisdom surrounding ice dam steamers does not apply.
They’ll even defend their position by claiming that we are the ones making stuff up because we don’t have the equipment that they have. They’ll say it doesn’t matter that their machines have triggers, or tips (both hallmark characteristics of pressure washers). We say it does, but to us, it’s simple: just ask the experts.
American Pressure Inc. is a leading pressure washer distributor in the midwest. They sell many different kinds of pressure washers. They also sell ice dam steaming machines. In their own expert opinion, they will only recommend a true steam machine for ice dam removal and warn of using high temperature pressure washers.
Demonstrating the Differences
American Pressure Inc demonstrates the differences in pressure from a pressure washer and a True Steam Machine and the impact it has on the applying surface
American Pressure Inc Demonstrating how damaging Pressure Washer can be on Shingles
The above videos show that the people who know the most about pressure washers know that they are not a good tool to use when removing ice dams because of the potential damage they can cause. The video below shows ho well a true steam machine cuts through ice without spraying a bunch of water everywhere:
Cutting through ice with an Ice Dam Steamer
Lastly – here’s a spot from Fox News where they talk to American Pressure about Ice Dam Removal. at the end of the segment they warn about companies that say they are using Steamers, but really are using high temperature pressure washers. “…You know it’s a pressure washer when it has a trigger gun and a high pressure tip.”
Beware of Companies who claim they have Steamers, but do not.
The Ice Dam Company only uses true steamers to remove ice dams, and we are a member of IDSAFE – an organization that certifies Ice Dam removal companies who use real steamers to remove ice dams.
Our favorite home inspector (and friend) Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech has a lot of experience with Ice Dams. He’s been testing methods for avoiding major ice dam problems for years and he recently updated his main Ice Dam post with additional information and a near-30-minute video full of info about ice dams.
He even gives The Ice Dam Company a couple shout outs, using some of our info we’ve compiled with our own 30 Years of experience dealing with ice dam removal and prevention.
Reuben talks at length about the main causes of ice dams and also talks about the best way to deal with ice dams that you already have: removal with steam. Removing Ice Dams with true Steam is a topic near and dear to our heart. There are a few companies out there who falsely claim the are using steam, but use high-temperature Pressure Washers instead.
HeatTapePro is a premium brand of commercial-grade, self-regulating heat cable. We are strategic partners with the Radiant Solutions Company, the direct manufacture of HeatTapePro and all related installation accessories.
Ice dam roof deicing cable installation information
HeatTapePro self-regulating heat cable
HeatTapePro self-regulating heat cables are designed to be used for a variety of roof de-icing, gutter de-icing and pipe freeze applications. Self-regulating heat cable automatically calls for more energy when ambient outdoor temperatures are lower and conversely, less energy when outdoor temperatures are higher. HeatTapePro is pre-terminated in our factory for your safety and convenience. No field modifications will be necessary to the cable to use it for the described purposes.
It’s official. The 2016 ice dam season has begun. We had a number of crews out today removing ice dams from St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, Edina, Minnetonka and St. Paul. We have more ice dam steamers than anyone in the country and yet it always feels like a bit of a scramble the first day. Men, supplies and equipment all being organized and deployed from our headquarters in Hopkins. Our warehouse looked like a war zone today. Hoses, anti-freeze and kerosene containers, steamers, shovels, all scattered around as we assembled the trucks for duty. As hectic as operations are the first day of each season, our clients see none of it. I liken the whole thing to a duck moving across a pond. From above the duck glides seemingly effortlessly but under the water his legs are moving like crazy. After this many years in business, I know this is how most businesses happen.
Before and after of ice dam removal project in Minneapolis
Here’s something cool from today. Our guys are all professional roofers which means they understand exterior envelopes and construction assemblies. Today one of our guys found a massive install error on a low-pitch rolled asphalt roof in Minneapolis. The client had no idea. The original roof installer failed to use adhesive between the roofing plies! That’s a major no-no. They also had all of the penetrations negatively lapped (sequenced into the asphalt improperly). Good catch Paul!
The Ice Dam Company is in fact the only company in the country with the in-house chops to diagnose and address problems with insulation, ventilation, roofing, sheet metal and other exterior envelope components. We also install miles of self-regulating heat cable each year on homes where architectural solutions are not appropriate or feasible. Most ice dam removal guys just use their pressure washers to squirt ice off the roof and that’s the end of it. For us, ice dam removal projects are often just the beginning of a longterm relationship with our clients. The Ice Dam Company is a division of Kuhl’s Contracting, the third largest residential construction and remodeling company in Minnesota. There is a huge amount of cross-pollenization between the organizations. Each benefits from the resources and talents of the other. It’s fun to witness.
Ice dam removal project before and after photos from Minneapolis project 12-21-16
Removing Ice Dams in Minnesota: We Serve Many Areas in the Minneapolis Metro
The Ice Dam company based out of Hopkins, Minnesota, about 5 miles west of Minneapolis. We've done gutter ice removal, roof ice removal and ice dam removal all over the Twin Cities, on new houses and old ones.
Some of the more frequent places we've done ice dam services are:
