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If you’re struggling to find anything else suitable in your cupboards, a vinegar and water ice melt makes for a passable quick fix. Just don’t expect it to clear your concrete the way commercial products or rock salt will. Mix equal parts vinegar and warm water and squeegee away the watery slush to prevent more slippery surfaces from forming.

While it’s less common than on other kinds of roofs, yes, ice dams can form on metal roofs. Metal roofs, particularly those with snow guards installed, can still accumulate ice at the roof edge, although ice dams on metal roofs are less likely to cause roof or interior damage than on traditional asphalt shingle roofs.

It can be dangerous to remove icicles from your roof, so the best option is to treat the underlying issue instead, usually by ensuring proper insulation in your home. If you’re concerned about immediate damage, you can hire a professional to remove the icicles and the snow accumulation on your home to prevent the issue from recurring. Just make sure you use a long-term solution, too, like addressing insulation problems or installing roof heating coils on your roof.

Roof raking helps clear snowfall from your roof and, in turn, you hope that this prevents ice dams. But can roof raking actually cause them? Generally, no, it cannot. But you should note that while, in some cases, you might successfully prevent ice dams from forming near the edge of your roof by keeping it cleared with a roof rake, they could still form higher up on the roof, where you are unable to reach. This may leave you wondering: Does roof raking prevent ice dams? While it is not a 100% guaranteed way to prevent them, it does help.