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Ice Dam Steaming Services in Clarence, West Seneca & Amherst, NY

Significant snow and large icicles are a sure sign of an ice dam that could cause serious damage to your home.

What is an Ice Dam?

ICE DAMS are huge problems in the winter months in our area. As Snow builds up on your roof, the heat released from the roof will melt the snow in contact with the roof. The water from the melting snow will run down into a cold gutter, thus potentially freezing in the gutter. Once the gutter is filled with ice, it will continue to run off over the gutter creating icicles, and eventually a "shelf" of ice. This "shelf" will eventually stop the flow of the melt-off over the gutter. Once the water has no place to go, it will start to "dam up" and the standing water could find its way into your home under shingles, through vents, and any path of least resistance to the flow of the water. Most homeowners will assume it's an immediate problem with the roof (not to say it isn't necessarily) but in most cases when ice and snow are present on the roof, the immediate resolution is to remove the ice and standing water as quickly as possible.

Signs of an Ice Dam

  • Signs of an ice dam
  • Ice visible above the gutter
  • Large icicles hanging off gutters
  • Damp or discolored ceilings/walls
  • Dripping water inside
  • Sever water leaks inside
Ice dams are large icicles that form on the edge of the roof and gutters and then trap the water on the roof. This is dangerous because it can lead to interior leaks. Unfortunately, these can develop easily throughout the winter if there are enough snow and below-freezing temperatures.

How we can help you

S&K Prowash is here to keep you safe in the event an ice dam forms on your rood. If you already have a roof leak caused by an ice dam that we can stop the leak by steaming it clear before it gets worse within minutes (not hours or days) of locating the problem area. We use the safest procedure in the form of steaming. This is also the most effective method when trying to prevent or stop leaks, while not harming your roof as a power tool might.


We use safe steaming techniques to clear the ice fast and efficient right down to bare shingles and clear gutters. Steaming won't damage shingles like other tools will, and we can even STOP most leaks within 20min of arriving on site. We will never use a chisel, hammer, axe, or any other tool that could potentially damage your roof. There are many ways that an ice dam can be handled however, some methods only clear small areas or channels, others can cause severe damage, others simply don't work, ONLY STEAM is the safest and most effective way to remove the ice completely.


First, we protect the property from falling debris. We will then shovel the snow from the rooftop in the problem areas down to the ice cover. Once we have located the largest problem area, we will melt a channel for standing water to drain away. This will start to relieve pressure almost immediately from the roof. From there we safely melt and "cut" manageable size blocks of ice to remove from the rooftop. Then we will clear the ice from gutters to allow proper drainage moving forward. This means we will clear ice from the gutter and rooftop and 12 inches past the uppermost drain.

It is important to you and your family's safety that you are aware of any potential ice dams on your roof in the Williamsville, West Seneca & Amherst, NY area.

Ice Dam Prevention

  • The best options for preventing ice dams
  • Make sure to have proper ventilation and insulation
  • Large snow events can suffocate roof vents
  • Improper insulation can cause heat loss
  • Keep gutters and downspouts free of debris
  • Debris-blocking drainage of water will fill your gutters with ice faster
  • If gutter guards are installed gutter guards can freeze over and have the same effect as clogged gutters
  • Remove snow off the leading edge of your roof as soon after a large snow event as possible (before it starts to melt)
  • Removing 3ft up or more from the leading edge will help prevent ice buildup

Call Today to Stop an Ice Dam in its Tracks!

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Frequently Serviced Areas for Ice Dam Services

Boston

Blasdell

Cheektowaga

Clarence

Colden

East Aurora

Ellicottville

Hamburg

Springville

Orchard Park

Williamsville