The Fix-It Playbook — Ice Dams: Prevent Them, Remove Them Safely

A ridge of ice at the edge of your roof isn't weather. It's a sign heat is escaping into the attic — and it's actively pushing water back up under your shingles.

Inside: How it forms · Prevent it before it starts · If a dam has already formed · What never to do · The real fix is upstream · The honest cost comparison · When to stop and call a pro · Troubleshooting · Printable ice-dam checklist.

Doing it yourself: a roof rake ($30–60, one-time) and calcium chloride ice-melt socks ($10–20 each).
Calling a pro: $800–2,400 for professional steam removal, averaging around $1,200.

6 pages of labeled diagrams, parts lists and real numbers — no filler, no 40-minute video. Temperatures and measurements in both Fahrenheit/Celsius and feet/meters, so it works wherever you are. Ends with a printable checklist.

Instant PDF download: print it for the garage or follow it on your phone with the parts in hand. Yours to keep, no subscription.

Need more than this one job? The Draft-Proof Kit bundles all 5 building-envelope guides — 28 pages — for $14.