Posts Tagged ‘orono ice dam removal’
Monday, December 22nd, 2014
Attic insulation contractor addresses ice dams with new insulation in Edina
Using the words ‘ice dam prevention’ in Minneapolis is a dangerous gamble. It’s true that with certain efforts one can greatly reduce the chances of getting ice dams, it is almost impossible to prevent them altogether. For example, we can do a top quality insulation and ventilation retrofit on a Minneapolis attic only to be thwarted by the fact that the homeowner likes to keep the attic at 90 degrees in the winter. That is a formula for ice dam disaster in Minnesota. There are a number of methods to employ in preventing ice dams (or reducing their severity, in some cases). Here are links to two such approaches used by our sister company, Kuhl’s Contracting, a nationally recognized ice dam prevention company.
Approach to ice dam prevention in Minneapolis #1
Approach to ice dam prevention in Minneapolis #2
Homeowners looking to fix or at least minimize the risk of ice dams in Minnesota are wise to look at the key contributing factors that spawn ice dams. Those are, the weather, insulation, ventilation, air leaks, personal lifestyle and home architecture. We are frequently successful in reducing and/or eliminating ice dams through the use of high performance spray foam insulation systems in combination with enhanced attic ventilation.
Here is another helpful link on the topic of home insulation and ice dam prevention in Minneapolis
Tags: about ice dams, best ice dam removal in minneapolis, best rated ice dam removal contractor, commercial ice removal, construction site ice removal, edina ice dam removal, how to file an insurance claim for an ice dam, ice and snow removal, ice dam expert, ice dam removal jerks, Ice dam Steaming, ice removal company, ice removal from concrete, ice removal professionals, minneapolis ice dam removal, orono ice dam removal, roof ice steaming, signs of an ice dam problem, wayzata ice dam removal
Posted in Ice Dam Prevention, Ice Dams, Misc. | Comments Off on Minneapolis Ice Dam Prevention
Thursday, December 18th, 2014
construction site ice removal, commercial ice removal, ice accumulation removal minneapolis, ice dam company
We have been called by property managers and builders to remove ice from a number of odd areas in Minneapolis over the years. Heck, we have even removed ice during the summer around cooling condensers at a chemical plant. While we frequently use our high-end steamers for the removal of ice, sometimes they are simply not appropriate. Such was the case on a recent job at a hotel under construction. A thin layer of ice had built up on the surface of a concrete floor that was perfectly flat…and huge. Using steamers in this application would have possibly resulted in making the problem worse by adding more water to the situation. While our steamers don’t generate much water, any time you melt ice, water is the result. Hence, my concern was that we would create a big mess. I suggested that we go old-school on this challenge. I sent three of my guys out there to hack and chip the ice with shiny, new scrapers. The resulting ice chips were simply blown and swept off the concrete, allowing the project carpenters to follow closely behind and lay out the wall framing without concern. It’s a low tech solution but sometimes that is what’s best.
Ice removal minneapolis commercial ice removal from flat surface
Tags: about ice dams, best ice dam removal in minneapolis, best rated ice dam removal contractor, commercial ice removal, construction site ice removal, edina ice dam removal, how to file an insurance claim for an ice dam, ice and snow removal, ice dam expert, ice dam removal jerks, Ice dam Steaming, ice removal company, ice removal from concrete, ice removal professionals, minneapolis ice dam removal, orono ice dam removal, roof ice steaming, signs of an ice dam problem, wayzata ice dam removal
Posted in Ice Dams, Misc. | Comments Off on Commercial ice removal in Minneapolis
Friday, December 13th, 2013
We received a call yesterday that was odd, even by our standards. The other strange part is that it was the second call in two days about the same issue. The homeowner noticed a bad smell coming from the shower and sink drains in her home in multiple locations. Moreover, there was a gurgling noise coming from the drains when the toilet flushed or when the other fixtures were used. The smell was so bad these poor people had to leave their homes. It was the smell of raw sewage, which ranks up there with the rankest of rank. Bummer indeed.
Plumbing vent plugged up with ice and snow
We sent one of our guys over there at 8pm in the dark to fix the issue because we felt so bad for these people. They had kids and the whole family was living at Grandpa’s house until the smell was figured out. Usually snow that falls on top of PVC plumbing vents just falls in and melts somewhere inside the system. In this case it piled up and formed a solid chunk of ice that completely blocked the pipe. We used a heat gun to quickly dislodge the ice and the problem was solved. We still can not figure out why this happened in the first place. Theoretically this could happen on every home in Minnesota but it doesn’t. We will be puzzling over this case for a while.
Tags: ice dam removal edina, ice dam removal jerks, lake minnetonka ice dam removal, minnepolis ice dam removal, orono ice dam removal, twin cities ice dam remover, wayzata ice dam removal
Posted in Ice Dams, Misc. | Comments Off on Plumbing Vent Blocked By Ice – A Mystery Smell Resolved
Thursday, January 3rd, 2013
An article in popular mechanics recently published about Ice Dam Prevention, and What to do if you have ice dam problems gets the basics:
To prevent an ice dam, don’t heat the roof, keep it cold. That way, the snow on the roof eventually dissipates without making large amounts of meltwater. The underside of the roof deck should not exceed 30 F. The best way to maintain low temperatures is by ensuring that there is adequate insulation and sealing gaps that let warm air pass into the attic from the house. The attic must also be ventilated, so that cold air is introduced into it and heated air escapes rapidly. Some remodeling contractors are under the impression that heat passing through the attic helps prevent ice dams, when just the opposite is true. Although excess heat moving from the attic through the roof rapidly melts snow, once the meltwater touches the cold eaves, it quickly freezes and forms an ice dam.
Read the full Popular Mechanics Ice Dam Article Here
…Then the article falls short at really looking at solutions to identify root problems (other then proper insulation) and determining solutions. Instead it looks at situations where there’s a furnace in the attic, and then turns it’s focus to cosmetically hiding symptoms of ice dams. Before you go this route, you really should determine what the underlying problem is, and fix it.
If you don’t feel confident in attempting to diagnose and fix ice dam problems yourself, it’s always a good idea to contact a contractor that has a Minnesota State Certified Energy Auditor on staff, has experience in insulation & ventilation installs, fixing roof leaks and making stuff look good.
Tags: edina ice dam removal, ice dam removal jerks, minnetonka ice dam removal, orono ice dam removal, wayzata ice dam removal
Posted in Ice Dams, Misc., Water Damage | Comments Off on Popular Mechanics: Ice Dams
Thursday, December 20th, 2012
Our friend Reuben Saltzman at Structure Tech did a nice round-up of ice Dam prevention general knowledge, with examples he’s come across while inspecting homes in the Minnesota winter.
Minnesota got dumped on this weekend with nearly fifteen inches of snow in some areas. With hardly any snow last winter, we almost forgot what a real snow storm looked like. I haven’t heard about any concerns over ice dams yet, but I suspect they’ll be coming very soon. The perfect conditions for ice dams are large amounts of snow and temperatures in the teens and twenties, which is what we’re expected to have this week.
Read the Full Post: How to Prevent Ice Dams
Tags: edina ice dam removal, edina ice dams, ice dam removal jerks, minneapolis ice dam prevention, orono ice dam removal, wayzata ice dam removal
Posted in Ice Dam Prevention | Comments Off on How to Prevent Ice Dams
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
Okay, I have have seen it all now. I’ve kept quiet for the last two years but I can’t do it any longer. I just spoke with a woman whose roof was scarred up by a ‘professional’ using a ‘steamer’. The only catch was that the guy wasn’t using a steamer; it was a pressure washer . A number of companies are using high-temperature pressure washers instead of steamers to remove ice from homes. At first glance it might sound like a distinction interesting only to ice geeks. But alas, it is a pretty big deal. In short, pressure washers rely on pressure to remove ice (go figure), not on heat. ‘High-Temperature’ pressure washers operate at slightly higher temperatures than a typical water heater (120-170 degrees). A steamer is an entirely different machine. It converts cold tap water into true steam, which can only be achieved at 250 to 300 degrees. Again, why care? In short it comes down to the fact that steam remove ice much, much faster than high-pressure water. This translates in to time and money (less of both if you use a steamer). Steamers are not only the fastest choice, they are the safest. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that using high-pressure water near frozen roofing materials may not be the best plan. Invariably, regardless of the user, such machines strip off the granules on asphalt composite shingles. This voids manufacturers warranties and it reduces the lifespan of the shingle.
We own three high-temp pressure washers but would never consider using them to cut ice. To the average dude they don’t look much different than a steamer. Use one to cut ice and the difference becomes clear right away. For this reason, conscientious, ethical contractors use actual steamers. Besides The Ice Dam Company, there are a number of outfits in town that use true steamers, including Garlock-French and Absolutely Clean Window Washing. I’ve been around this industry for over 20 years and I have never heard a complaint about those shops. My point is, no matter who you hire to remove your ice, make certain their machinery is as advertised. It must be running at a minimum of 250 degrees over the entire course of the job to function safely and efficiently.
Here’s a great image taken by out friend Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech, showing what kind of damage a pressure washer can do to an asphault roof when it’s used to remove an ice dam:
Oops.
Tags: edina ice dam steaming, Ice dam removal, ice dam removal jerks, minnetonka ice dam steaming, orono ice dam removal, roof ice steaming
Posted in Ice Dam Removal | Comments Off on Steaming Ice Dams: Loser alert.
