WILMINGTON, MASS. (WHDH) – The multiple snowstorms and frigid days this winter are causing concern among homeowners about ice dams that have formed on the roofs of their homes, and power cleaning crews say they are scrambling to keep up with the demand for their removal services.
Sean Coakley from Atlantic Power Cleaning in Woburn said he hasn’t seen icy conditions like this in more than a decade.
“I haven’t seen it this bad since 2015, but I think this is actually worse this year,” said Coakley. “They almost have teeth. It’s like they’ve grown into the roof.”
Crews are using a unique technique where they are deicing the roof, then liquifying the gutter line with water that’s heated to 170 degrees.
“We can scale up onto the roof via a ladder, we’ll deice a spot to stand, then we’ll start dropping the ice dams off,” Coakley explained.
Coakley said his company is swamped with calls, but Department of Public Works officials say deicing is not something homeowners should try to do on their own.
“If you can effectively reach them, you knock them down, but obviously safety is the primary concern,” said Brett Gonsalves, Stoneham Department of Public Works Director.
Coakley said ice dams can add hundreds of pounds of weight onto roofs, and they can become even more dangerous if it rains on top of them.
“They’re calling it winter concrete right now,” said Coakley. “And if you got hit on the squash with one you’d agree.”
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