Companies say build-up of 'ice dams' on Minnesota homes is worst in years

It may seem like a small problem, but it can cause a lot of damage.

The build-up of ice dams is keeping some companies busier than ever before thanks to the recent snowfall. They are helping residents clear the ice that forms at the edge of your roof so the melting snow doesn’t end up leaking into your home.

If it’s not the sound of a snow plow, it’s the noise from a steamer removing ice dams. It’s a huge problem this year and there are no signs of it getting better anytime soon.

“Right now, with the icicles there, we actually open up the door and say run, really run, to the side of the deck here and then walk out so you’re outside of the drop angle of the ice,” said Rick Frommeyer, a homeowner with an icicle problem. “It’s crazy, but that’s what we end up having to do.”

Thursday, at the Frommeyer home, an ice dam warrior is working away.

Hart Hedges has been all over the nation fighting ice dams. He’s armed and ready. The steam slicing through, melting this home of its ice dam infestation.

Frommeyer was worried that the ice dam could injure his family or the roof and walls of his home.

“Now that the gutters are completely frozen with more snow on the way, we just thought, ya know, now is the time to do it,” Frommeyer said.

A lot of homeowners have the same problem. The Ice Dam Guys are saying that it’s the worst they’ve seen in five years right now, but that could change.

“With temps down so low and furnaces pumping that heat up into the attic melting the snow that doesn’t seem to stop falling, we predict that it’s probably the worst ice dam season that we’ve probably seen in 10 years,” said Joe Palumbo, of the Ice Dam Guys.

Palumbo recommends trying to rake your roof or even lower the heat a few degrees. You still, however, may end up calling for help.

“It wasn’t as much of a concern when we had the polar vortex, but now with the melt and warming up, it’s become a pretty significant problem for us,” Frommeyer said.

Palumbo says, if you are tempted to knock down those giant icicles, don’t. You could take the gutters or some shingles off with them.