Get matched with top roof ice and snow removal pros in Pawhuska, OK

Knocking down icicles won’t help prevent ice dams, as the dams form on the bottoms of your roof slopes and not on the gutters themselves. However, removing icicles can reduce the risk of injury if they form over heavily trafficked areas, and it can help prevent permanent damage to your gutters. Just be sure to wear safety equipment and always stay on the ground while knocking them down.

It’s possible to use a torch to melt ice on your garage door, but we don’t recommend it. It’s very easy to bring the flame too close to the door, which can melt the weather stripping or even the garage door itself. You’ll melt ice quickly with a torch, but the damage you’re likely to cause can end up costing you a few hundred dollars to fix, which isn’t worth it. Instead, we recommend pouring hot water over the frozen area or using a less intense heat source, like a hair dryer or space heater.

Generally, snow removal from a roof should occur once over six inches of snow accumulates, especially if you notice that ice dams have formed. Without ice dams, you can let the snow accumulation hit 12 inches before removing it. However, the amount of snow that is too much for your roof also depends on the sturdiness of your roof and the compactness of the snow. If your roof needs maintenance or has structural issues, it’s best not to let the snow accumulate too much for fear of collapsing.

Both rock salt and ice melt are naturally occurring salts. Rock salt is sodium chloride, which is the same as table salt. Ice melt products can be made from a combination of salts like magnesium chloride and calcium chloride or can be those salts alone.

Rock salt comes in large crystals, so it helps provide traction on icy surfaces, whereas ice melt products need to be mixed with sand to provide traction. Ice melt products work at lower temperatures than rock salt, so they might be a better choice if you have a harsh winter climate.