How to Remove Ice From a Roof Overhang

Remove as much snow as possible from on top of and behind or above the ice. Use a snow rake specifically designed for the task or a push broom. Decreasing the amount of snow will lower or eliminate the threat of melting ice backing up behind the dam.

Hose down the ice with tap water from a garden hose. Get as close as possible to the ice and work upward from the bottom, creating a channel through which backed-up water behind the dam can drain. This method will only provide temporary relief and must be used in conjunction with another removal technique or repeated after a few days.

Apply a deicing compound to the roof. Choose a compound that will not harm the roof surface; avoid using corrosive materials, such as rock salt or sodium chloride. Either apply the deicing compound by piling a small amount above the ice dam then sprinkling a line from the pile to the roof's edge or fill nylon stockings with the deicing compound and lay them across the ice dam. Make sure that the stocking or line of deicer extends all the way to the roof's edge to ensure that it will melt a clear channel.

Implement long-term solutions to ice formation. Install additional insulation in the attic or ceiling to make sure that little heat can escape and warm the upper portion of the roof. Make sure that the ceiling beneath the attic is airtight.