Metal roofs don’t get ice dams very often. In fact, we tell people to install metal roofing if they would like to spend far fewer winters worrying about ice dam removal. Often, ice dams simply do not form on this type of roof, especially if it has a steep pitch.
But…it does happen. And in spite of the fact that metal roofing does not tend to leak it is still imperative to get ice dams removed on these rare occasions. That is because at some point the ice dam might break loose, creating a mini-avalanche that will crush anything or anyone unlucky enough to be sitting in its path. If that happens, you could get sued or someone you care about could get hurt…both situations that are well worth avoiding.
When ice dams do form, extra care is required to get that ice dam off of the roof without hurting anyone.
Metal roofs are dangerously slick in the winter time. This means the tech can’t really stand on top of the roof to blast the ice with the steamer. In most case, he’s got to stand on a ladder, instead.
The tech also has to aim his steamer sideways, instead of dead ahead, so that he avoids getting hit by any ice chunks which might break off and slide down the roof. He’s worried about the same thing you’re worried about—someone getting crushed—only he’s up there getting up close and personal with the danger.
Ice on a metal roof slides so fast you’d have to be Superman to dodge the stuff, and even Superman might have a bit of an issue if he were perched on a ladder at the time.
When steaming sideways is not an option due to the position of the ice, we create channels. These channels are designed to create a controlled break which sends the ice careening off in the direction that we choose.
This takes expertise, and it’s one reason you don’t want some uninsured newbie up there servicing your metal roof…unless, of course, you like the idea of paying someone else’s medical or funeral bills.
Even our experienced techs make darn sure they know where to leap if they absolutely must do so. That may sound unprofessional, but in fact it’s quite to the contrary. The last thing a tech wants is to jump from a ladder and land on a picket fence! Any ice dam expert always has an emergency bailout plan if things should suddenly go wrong.
As you can imagine, this type of job (if forced to work from a ladder) can take longer than ice dam removal on a more traditional asphalt shingled roof would.
So yes, it will also cost a bit more to remove these ice dams. However, the difference in price is still negligible when you realize that by placing a metal roof on your home you could easily win five to ten years of ice-dam free time for yourself. And, there’s a very real chance that you may very well never have to deal with ice dams again!