Ice dam removal

Ice Dam Steaming and Removal in Omaha

Ice dam steaming by a roofing contractor

Rocket Roofing General Contractor crews steam ice dams off roofs and gutters in Omaha, Lincoln and the towns between, clear the snow above them, and repair the roof the water got under. If water is coming in now, read what to do tonight first.

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Last updated November 4, 2026

What an ice dam is and why it leaks

An ice dam is a ridge of ice along the edge of a roof that holds back melting snow. The University of Minnesota Extension explains how it forms: the upper roof is above 32 degrees F while the eaves are below it, so snow melts higher up, runs down to the cold edge and freezes again. Each melt adds to the ridge. What warms the upper roof is usually the house: the Extension names air leaking from the house into the attic as a major cause, along with exhaust fans that end just above the roof, chimneys, leaky or poorly insulated ducts in the attic, and knee wall spaces.

Shingles shed water running downhill; they are not built to hold back a pool of it. The meltwater trapped behind the dam backs up under the shingles, past the roof deck and into the attic, the ceilings and the tops of the walls. Triple-I names ice forming in gutters as one way water backs up under roof shingles.

That is why Omaha's residential code marks ice barrier underlayment as required on new roofs: its own note reserves that for places with a history of local damage from ice damming. Whether an older roof has one depends on when it was last replaced and what went on it then, which an inspection can tell you.

Signs of an ice dam

Most ice dams can be seen from the ground, and the damage they do shows up inside. Look for:

A thick ridge of ice along the eaves, often with snow still on the roof above it
Icicles hanging from the edge of the roof or the gutters, over the same stretch
Gutters packed with ice, or pulling away from the fascia under the weight
Water stains or peeling paint on ceilings and walls near outside walls
Damp or frosted insulation in the attic after snow or a thaw
Drips at window heads or along the top of an outside wall during a melt

Any one of them is worth a call. Water that has reached a ceiling has already been under the shingles for a while.

How steaming removes ice without damaging the roof

Rocket Roofing General Contractor crews take the snow off the roof above the dam first, so there is less left to melt and refreeze, and then steam the ice. Steam softens the ice where it is frozen to the shingles and cuts channels through the ridge, so the water held behind it can drain off the roof instead of into the house. The crew works the dam down along the eave and clears the gutter below it, so the next melt has an open path to the downspouts.

Nothing is pried, chipped or hammered off the roof. The ice comes away because it melts, which is why steam is the method for ice that is frozen onto shingles and flashing. When it is done, the eave and the gutter are checked for anything the ice did, and photographed.

Why we never chip, salt or torch ice dams

Ice frozen onto a roof is frozen onto the shingles. The Department of Energy's Building America Solution Center warns that scraping shingles can loosen or break them, and a hammer, chisel or shovel edge driven into a dam strikes the same shingles. The University of Minnesota Extension adds that even a roof rake or push broom can damage roofing materials, and that anyone working on a winter roof, or on one from below, risks injury.

Salt and open flame are the other shortcuts people reach for. None of the sources this page relies on, the University of Minnesota Extension, the Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR, recommends either for an ice dam; all three put the fix in the attic and the removal in professional hands.

Ice dam leaking into the house: what to do now

Keep people off the roof and the ladder, and protect what is under the drip:

Catch the water and move what it can reach. Buckets under drips, and furniture and rugs out of the way.
Photograph it, inside and the ice along the roof edge from the ground, with the date. Keep receipts.
Call us at (402) 291-8888. Steam opens the dam so the water behind it drains off the roof.
Only as a stopgap, the University of Minnesota Extension describes cutting a channel through the dam with warm tap water on a mild day, working up from the lower edge. It says the channel stops working within days.

The guide to an ice dam leak goes step by step.

Drying out and repairs after an ice dam

The roof comes first, so the water stops. The University of Minnesota Extension says not to repair interior damage until the ceilings and walls are dry, and to fix the heat loss that caused the dam at the same time, or the damage comes back next winter.

A shingle roof that took water behind an ice dam is a roof repair, and sometimes a replacement; when a roof is replaced in Omaha, the code requires an ice barrier underlayment. If the leak comes with a claim, we document the damage for it and can tarp an opening until the repair. Triple-I says a standard home policy generally covers most freeze damage, including water backed up under shingles, but your policy decides; the ice dam insurance guide explains how to document it and what to ask your agent.

Preventing the next ice dam

Removing a dam does not change what made it. The fixes are in the attic, in this order, by the University of Minnesota Extension, the Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR:

Seal the air leaks from the house into the attic. The DOE calls it the most important step, and ENERGY STAR says to plug the big holes first.
Then add insulation, which keeps heat from reaching the roof deck. ENERGY STAR recommends the air sealing before the insulation.
Keep the attic ventilated from the soffits to the ridge or gables, so it stays cold. The University of Minnesota Extension does not recommend mechanical attic ventilation for this, and its fixes do not include heat cables.
On the next roof, an ice barrier underlayment, which Omaha's code requires.
Gutters that drain. A clear, sound gutter gives the melt somewhere to go, and gutter repair and replacement keeps it that way.

The attic ventilation guide covers the attic in detail, and our post on preventing ice dams on Nebraska roofs covers the rest of the season.

Gutter protection keeps leaves out of the gutter; it does not stop an ice dam, which starts in the attic. LeaFree is made in Omaha by GPI Gutter Products, Rocket Roofing General Contractor is your certified LeaFree installer for the Omaha metro, and it carries the Lifetime No Clog Guarantee. getleafree.com gives the honest answer on gutter covers and Omaha ice dams.

Roof snow removal and ice dams together

An ice dam is made of snow that melted. Clearing the heavy snow above the eaves takes away the water the next melt would send down to the dam, and takes the weight off the roof at the same time, so most winter calls are some of both. The page on roof snow removal covers the snow: what it weighs, the warning signs of too much, and how a roof is cleared safely.

Where we steam ice dams

Across the Omaha metro, in Lincoln and in Council Bluffs, from two offices: the Papillion office at 110 N Washington St, and our Omaha headquarters at 5634 S 85th Cir Ste 204. Each town's page covers its snow, its ice dams, its code and the age of its homes:

Ice dam questions

What is ice dam steaming?

Removing an ice dam with steam: the steam melts the ice where it is frozen to the shingles and cuts channels through the dam, so the water behind it can drain off the roof. Rocket Roofing General Contractor crews steam ice dams off roofs and out of gutters, and clear the snow above them first.

Why not chip ice dams off or use salt?

Because the ice is frozen onto the shingles. The Department of Energy's Building America Solution Center warns that scraping shingles can loosen or break them, and the University of Minnesota Extension says even a roof rake or push broom can damage roofing. Steam takes the ice off without a tool against the roof.

My ice dam is leaking inside. What should I do first?

Catch the water, move what it can reach, photograph it with the date, and keep everyone off the roof and the ladder. Then call us at (402) 291-8888 to have the dam steamed open. The ice dam leak guide goes step by step.

Can you remove ice from my gutters too?

Yes. Steaming the eaves includes the gutters below them, so the next melt has an open path to the downspouts. If the ice has bent or pulled a gutter loose, gutter repair is the same company.

Will an ice dam come back after it is removed?

It can, because removal does not change what made it: heat from the house warming the roof. The University of Minnesota Extension says to seal the ceiling's air leaks first and then add insulation; the attic ventilation guide covers both.

Do heat cables stop ice dams?

The University of Minnesota Extension's ice dam guidance does not list heat cables among its fixes. It, the Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR all put the cause in the attic, heat leaking up from the house, and fix it there: air sealing, insulation and a cold, vented attic.

Does insurance cover ice dam leaks in Nebraska?

Generally, yes. Triple-I says standard home policies cover most freeze damage, including water that backs up under roof shingles when ice forms in gutters. Your own policy decides, including whether it pays for the removal itself; the ice dam insurance guide explains how to document the claim.

How do I prevent ice dams on my roof?

Keep the roof the same temperature from ridge to eaves. Seal the air leaks from the house into the attic first, then add insulation, and keep the attic vented from the soffits to the ridge, as the University of Minnesota Extension, the Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR describe. Our post on preventing ice dams covers the season.

Do you steam ice dams in Lincoln and Council Bluffs?

Yes. Rocket Roofing General Contractor steams ice dams in Lincoln and in Council Bluffs, Iowa, as across the Omaha metro; each has its own roof snow and ice dam page, linked under "Where we steam ice dams" on this page.

Sources

Every rule on this page comes from one of these. Check the current version.

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