Salt Sock Roof

It should be no surprise then that it is the first thing many people think of to remove ice dams.

Salt sock roof.

The roofmelt ice melt is designed to eliminate the need to climb onto roofs while melt snow. Next go up on the roof and put ice melt socks vertically one end onto the gutter and the other end up the roof slopes spacing them every 3 feet. Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. The problem is that the calcium chloride in the sock completely melts overnight and the sock is now frozen to the roof and can t be removed.

One of the more popular ways is to toss a throwable ice melting puck onto the roof. People have been making their own ice melt socks out of nylon socks and calcium chloride for a long time. Rock salt can also leave permanent stains on your roof and walls. If you put another sock on top if it all is melted andbyouncan remove sock one.

More recently companies began selling ice melting pucks. The problem is that the calcium chloride in the sock completely melts overnight and the sock is now frozen to the roof and can t be removed. While safely on the ground toss a roofmelt tablet onto the roof. The socks will create melt a channel in the ice to allow the water to run off your roof instead of building up along the eaves and leaking inside.

They work effectively in temperatures down to 25 f. The calcium chloride will eventually melt through the snow and ice and create a channel for water to flow down into the gutters or off the roof. However rock salt is a form of sodium chloride which corrodes metal including the metal nails holding your shingles in place. That is until water is dripping through the ceiling.

If necessary use a long handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position. Sodium chloride or rock salt is highly corrosive. By pouring calcium chloride into this tube like form you can position it vertically over the dam with the sock s end hanging an inch or two over the roof edge and melt a tube like channel through. Filled with calcium chloride the sock melted ice and did create a channel for water to drain which was good.

If you put another sock on top if it all is melted andbyouncan remove sock one. A do not put salt on your roof. The tablets help prevent roof damage by melting through ice dams and allowing water to drain safely. Perhaps the most dangerous part of using salt socks outside of balancing on a ladder to position them all perfectly is that they create a false sense of hope.

Rock salt is common for de icing driveways and paths. These products are specifically designed to be thrown up on roofs to melt ice in hard to reach places.