Deep Freeze Leaving Minnesotans With Ice Dam Headaches

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This month's up-and-down temperatures have ice on roofs pouring down into Minnesota homes.

Experts say ice dams are worse this winter than they've been in years.

Randy Schmit with the Ice Dam Removal Guys says business is busy as three years ago, when the the ice dams were "horrendous."

"I worked last weekend, the weekend before, Christmas Day," Schmit said.

Because people are jacking up the heat, any of it that escapes to the attic can cause an ice dam to form on the outside. Those ice dams can then result in major damage on the inside.

Julie Berg of St. Louis Park said Wednesday that her ceiling is leaking. Water was even coming out of a vent in her son's room.

"I kinda knew it was ice dams," she said.

So she called for ice dam removal help, something she hasn't had to do since 1995.

"I don't know that there's anything different that we can do," she said. "I think it's just part and parcel of being here."

But the experts say regularly clearing the roof can help.

"The less snow that you have up there, the less melting that can take place, better off you are," Schmit said.

The Ice Dam Guys say that aside from regularly getting snow taken off your roof, you can sign up for an energy audit.

Heat is often escaping through light fixtures and bathroom fans up to the attic, causing the costly meltdowns.

Energy Audits: CenterPoint Energy | Xcel Energy