A ridge of ice sits along the eave above the gutter
That ridge is the dam itself, and meltwater is pooling behind it. Photograph it from the ground now, because it is the proof of cause and it disappears with the weather.
Source of the water
South Dakota
Ice Dam Leak Cleanup in South Dakota
Our crew addresses water entering beneath roof materials, then dries attic insulation, framing, walls, and ceilings affected by the leak.
- Emergency phone support 24/7
- Service for homes and businesses
- Extraction, cleanup, and structural drying
- One crew from inspection through drying
Signs to look for
When to call us for ice dam leak cleanup
If you notice any of these problems, call us before water has more time to spread into nearby materials.
Thick icicles are hanging from the gutter line
Icicles mean water is running down a warm roof and freezing at a cold edge. They are the visible symptom of the exact process that causes the leak.
A wet or stained line where the ceiling meets an exterior wall
Ice dam water enters over the top plate and drops into the corner. That ceiling perimeter stain is the single most common ice dam symptom.
Water is running out of the top of a window or a door
The wall cavity carries the water down to the first thing that blocks it, which is a window head.
It leaks on a sunny day, not during the storm
The snow needs to melt before there is any water to leak. A leak that starts when the sun comes out after a snowfall is diagnostic.
The roof field is clear of snow but the edge is iced
Heat escaping into the attic melts snow over the heated part of the house. The edge overhangs unheated space, so the water refreezes there.
What happens
How we handle ice dam leak cleanup
Our crew adjusts the work to which areas and materials are wet, the distance the water traveled, and what materials can be saved.
Safety overhead before anything else
Wet ceiling boxes and can lights mean the circuit gets shut off from a dry location. Nobody stands under a sagging area, and removals overhead are a crew task.
Stopping the meltwater at the dam
Steam removal is the correct method, and we coordinate a crew that has the equipment. Low pressure steam melts a channel through the ice without stripping the shingles.
Reading the ceiling perimeter and the top of the wall
A moisture meter runs the full length of every exterior wall in the affected room, not just the stained part.
Wall cavity access where the water came down
Baseboard or window casing comes off and small access holes let us read and dry inside the cavity.
Wet insulation at the eave removed and bagged
Compacted or soaked material at the perimeter comes out in place and gets replaced with a measured R value.
Drying an assembly that is cold on one side
The house stays heated, the wet cavity gets contained, and air movers work into the openings with an Professional dehumidifier on the room.
Speak with our crew
Water emergency in South Dakota?
Let us know how it started, where the water came from, and which areas are wet.
What to expect
What to expect from our crew
Here is how we typically handle ice dam leak cleanup near South Dakota.
-
1
You call and we ask what the roof edge looks like
Ice ridge, icicles, snow depth and which side of the house it is on. Those four answers let us know whether steam removal comes on the first trip.
Your call -
2
Photograph the ice, then clear the room
Take pictures of the eave from the ground while the ice is still there. Move what you can lift from a dry floor and stay out from under any sag.
+5 minutes -
3
A crew is dispatched for cold weather work
Sealed work area, drying equipment and the steam contact get lined up together. Winter calls come in clusters during a thaw, so we sequence by severity.
+15 minutes -
4
Exterior and interior documented before work starts
We record the dam, the icicles, the gutter condition and every interior stain with dates. This is a weather loss, and the weather is the evidence.
On arrival -
5
The meltwater gets stopped at the eave
Steam opens channels through the dam so water drains off the roof instead of backing up under the shingles.
First hours on site -
6
The perimeter gets mapped, wall by wall
Readings run the full exterior wall length, the ceiling perimeter and both sides of every window head. We tape the wet edge so you can see the real footprint.
First hours on site -
7
Swollen casing off, wet blown in material out at the eave
Swollen window casing, failed board and soaked blown in insulation at the eave are removed and logged. Perimeter gypsum that only met clean meltwater stays where it is and gets dried.
Day 1
Understanding the cost
What can affect the price
We walk you through the recommended cleanup plan and price before you approve the job. These examples show what may change the estimate.
| Common situation | What the estimate may include | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Steam ice dam removal at the eave, by a specialty crew | National estimate. Commonly billed hourly at roughly $250 to $500 per hour, typically one to three hours, with a minimum charge. | $400 to $1,500 |
| Interior cleanup after one ice dam leak, one room dried in place | National estimate for perimeter ceiling and wall drying with trim removal, no demolition. | $600 to $2,000 |
| Several eaves leaking, multiple rooms with removal and drying | National estimate including wet insulation removal, drywall sections and five to seven drying days. | $3,000 to $9,000 |
| Wet attic or perimeter insulation removal and disposal, per square foot | National estimate for extraction, bagging and disposal of soaked material. | $1.00 to $2.50 |
| Perimeter drywall removal with cavity drying, per square foot | National estimate for removal, disposal and drying of the opened assembly. | $1.50 to $4.00 |
| Attic air sealing and insulation top up, by an insulation contractor | National estimate for sealing attic bypasses and bringing depth back to code. This is the fix, not the cleanup. | $1,200 to $4,000 |
| Heat cable installed at the eave and in the gutter, by a contractor | National estimate for a separate trade, not part of our cleanup work plan. It manages symptoms on a problem eave and adds a power bill each winter. | $600 to $2,500 |
| After hours or overnight dispatch charge | National estimate for nights, weekends and holidays, billed once rather than per hour. | $100 to $400 nationally |
How many eaves are leaking
One dam over one room is a contained job. Three sides of a house during a long thaw is three separate wet areas.How far the water ran along the wall
Water spreads sideways on the top plate before it drops. A four foot stain frequently means fifteen feet of wet cavity.Whether the ice has to be removed first
Steam removal is its own contractor visit and is typically billed hourly. It is not optional while water is still backing up.How much ceiling, wall and trim has to come out
Board that can be dried in place costs a fraction of what removal and rebuild cost. Delaminated board, wet insulation and swollen casing move it into removal work.Insulation type and depth at the perimeter
Blown in material at the eave has to be extracted rather than lifted out. Replacement is measured by area and by the R value going back.Cold weather drying days
Air movers run roughly $25 to $40 per unit per day and Professional dehumidifiers roughly $70 to $110 per unit per day.
Why timing matters
What can happen when the area stays wet
Water may keep moving into nearby materials even when the surface looks dry.
The dam rebuilds every night it refreezes
One warm afternoon and one cold night is all it takes to make more ice. Each cycle raises the dam and pushes water further under the shingles.
This water is above the line the roof was designed for
Shingles shed running water, they do not hold standing water. Behind a dam the water sits above every lap and drip edge and simply walks in.
Wet insulation makes the next dam worse
Soaked material at the eave stops insulating, so more heat reaches the roof deck and more snow melts.
Cold cavities hold water for weeks on their own
Framing at 35 degrees releases moisture very slowly. What looks dry at the surface in March is still wet inside the wall.
Helpful service information
What to know about ice dam leak cleanup
Begin with the short explanation. Open a card if you want a little more detail.
What is happening inside the property
Heat leaking from the house warms the roof deck over the living space.
Read the explanation
The physics here are simple and they explain everything about where the water shows up. Heat leaking from the house warms the roof deck over the living space.
How the next step is decided
Ice dams form where heat loss is concentrated, so they come back in the same place until that path is closed.
Read the explanation
Recurrence is the part that matters for your money. Ice dams form where heat loss is concentrated, so they come back in the same place until that path is closed.
What may change the work
It enters over the top plate at the outside wall, so the first wet materials are the ceiling perimeter and the top of the wall cavity.
Read the explanation
Inside the building, ice dam water behaves unlike any other leak we handle. It enters over the top plate at the outside wall, so the first wet materials are the ceiling perimeter and the top of the wall cavity.
Help near you
Ice Dam Leak Cleanup near South Dakota
Select your area below, or call (844) 782-0175 and describe how the water emergency started.
Aberdeen, SDAgar, SDAkaska, SDAlcester, SDAlexandria, SDAllen, SDAlpena, SDAmherst, SDAndover, SDArlington, SDArmour, SDArtesian, SDAshton, SDAstoria, SDAurora, SDAvon, SDBadger, SDBaltic, SDBarnard, SDBatesland, SDBath, SDBelle Fourche, SDBelvidere, SDBeresford, SDBig Stone City, SDBison, SDBlack Hawk, SDBlunt, SDBonesteel, SDBowdle, SDBox Elder, SDBradley, SDBrandon, SDBrandt, SDBrentford, SDBridgewater, SDBristol, SDBritton, SDBrookings, SDBruce, SDBryant, SDBuffalo, SDBuffalo Gap, SDBullhead, SDBurbank, SDBurke, SDCamp Crook, SDCanistota, SDCanova, SDCanton, SDCaputa, SDCarpenter, SDCarthage, SDCastlewood, SDCavour, SDCenterville, SDChamberlain, SDChancellor, SDCherry Creek, SDChester, SDClaire City, SDClaremont, SDClark, SDClear Lake, SDColman, SDColome, SDColton, SDColumbia, SDConde, SDCorona, SDCorsica, SDCresbard, SDCrooks, SDCuster, SDDallas, SDDante, SDDavis, SDDe Smet, SDDeadwood, SDDell Rapids, SDDelmont, SDDimock, SDDoland, SDDraper, SDDupree, SDEagle Butte, SDEden, SDEdgemont, SDEgan, SDElk Point, SDElkton, SDEllsworth Afb, SDEmery, SDEnning, SDErwin, SDEstelline, SDEthan, SDEureka, SDFairburn, SDFairfax, SDFairview, SDFaith, SDFaulkton, SDFedora, SDFerney, SDFlandreau, SDFlorence, SDFort Meade, SDFort Pierre, SDFort Thompson, SDFrankfort, SDFrederick, SDFreeman, SDFulton, SDGann Valley, SDGarden City, SDGarretson, SDGary, SDGayville, SDGeddes, SDGettysburg, SDGlencross, SDGlenham, SDGoodwin, SDGregory, SDGrenville, SDGroton, SDHamill, SDHarrisburg, SDHarrison, SDHarrold, SDHartford, SDHayes, SDHayti, SDHazel, SDHecla, SDHenry, SDHermosa, SDHerreid, SDHerrick, SDHighmore, SDHill City, SDHitchcock, SDHolabird, SDHosmer, SDHot Springs, SDHoughton, SDHoven, SDHoward, SDHowes, SDHudson, SDHumboldt, SDHurley, SDHuron, SDIdeal, SDInterior, SDIpswich, SDIrene, SDIroquois, SDIsabel, SDJava, SDJefferson, SDKadoka, SDKaylor, SDKeldron, SDKennebec, SDKeystone, SDKimball, SDKranzburg, SDKyle, SDLabolt, SDLake Andes, SDLake City, SDLake Norden, SDLake Preston, SDLane, SDLangford, SDLantry, SDLead, SDLebanon, SDLemmon, SDLennox, SDLeola, SDLesterville, SDLetcher, SDLittle Eagle, SDLodgepole, SDLong Lake, SDLong Valley, SDLower Brule, SDLudlow, SDLyons, SDMadison, SDManderson, SDMansfield, SDMarion, SDMartin, SDMarty, SDMarvin, SDMc Intosh, SDMc Laughlin, SDMeadow, SDMellette, SDMenno, SDMidland, SDMilbank, SDMilesville, SDMiller, SDMission, SDMission Hill, SDMitchell, SDMobridge, SDMonroe, SDMontrose, SDMorristown, SDMound City, SDMount Vernon, SDMud Butte, SDMurdo, SDNemo, SDNew Effington, SDNew Holland, SDNew Underwood, SDNewell, SDNisland, SDNorris, SDNorth Sioux City, SDNorthville, SDNunda, SDOacoma, SDOelrichs, SDOglala, SDOkaton, SDOkreek, SDOldham, SDOlivet, SDOnaka, SDOnida, SDOral, SDOrient, SDOrtley, SDOwanka, SDParker, SDParkston, SDParmelee, SDPeever, SDPhilip, SDPickstown, SDPiedmont, SDPierpont, SDPierre, SDPine Ridge, SDPlankinton, SDPlatte, SDPollock, SDPorcupine, SDPrairie City, SDPresho, SDPringle, SDPukwana, SDQuinn, SDRalph, SDRamona, SDRapid City, SDRaymond, SDRedfield, SDRedig, SDRee Heights, SDReliance, SDRenner, SDReva, SDRevillo, SDRidgeview, SDRockham, SDRoscoe, SDRosebud, SDRosholt, SDRoslyn, SDRutland, SDSaint Charles, SDSaint Francis, SDSaint Lawrence, SDSaint Onge, SDSalem, SDScenic, SDScotland, SDSelby, SDSeneca, SDSinai, SDSioux Falls, SDSisseton, SDSmithwick, SDSouth Shore, SDSpearfish, SDSpencer, SDSpringfield, SDStephan, SDStickney, SDStockholm, SDStrandburg, SDStratford, SDSturgis, SDSummit, SDTabor, SDTea, SDTimber Lake, SDTolstoy, SDToronto, SDTrail City, SDTrent, SDTripp, SDTulare, SDTurton, SDTuthill, SDTwin Brooks, SDTyndall, SDUnion Center, SDUtica, SDVale, SDValley Springs, SDVeblen, SDVermillion, SDViborg, SDVienna, SDVirgil, SDVivian, SDVolga, SDVolin, SDWagner, SDWakonda, SDWakpala, SDWalker, SDWall, SDWallace, SDWanblee, SDWarner, SDWasta, SDWatauga, SDWatertown, SDWaubay, SDWebster, SDWentworth, SDWessington, SDWessington Springs, SDWestport, SDWhite, SDWhite Lake, SDWhite Owl, SDWhite River, SDWhitehorse, SDWhitewood, SDWillow Lake, SDWilmot, SDWinfred, SDWinner, SDWitten, SDWolsey, SDWood, SDWoonsocket, SDWorthing, SDWounded Knee, SDYale, SDYankton, SD
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Get a Quote: (844) 782-0175Common questions
Questions about ice dam leak cleanup
What is an ice dam and why does it leak?
Heat escaping into your attic melts snow on the upper roof. That water runs down and refreezes at the cold overhang, building a ridge of ice.
How much does ice dam leak cleanup cost?
Nationally, one room dried in place typically runs about $600 to $2,000. Several leaking eaves with removal typically run $3,000 to $9,000.
Does insurance cover ice dam damage?
Usually yes for the interior damage, because it is treated as sudden weather damage. Many carriers also reimburse ice removal as mitigation.
Can I chip the ice off myself?
No. Do not chip, hammer, chisel or pressure wash ice on a roof, and do not put a ladder against an icy building.
Should I use a roof rake or salt?
A roof rake used from the ground is reasonable for pulling snow off the lower roof. Keep it away from overhead power lines and stand clear of what comes down.
How is the ice actually removed?
Low pressure steam is the correct method and it is what the specialty crews use. It melts channels through the dam without damaging shingles.
Why is the water coming out over my window?
The water enters over the top plate and drops into the wall cavity. It runs down the framing until something blocks it, and a window head is the first thing that does.
Speak with our crew
Water emergency in South Dakota?
Let us know how it started, where the water came from, and which areas are wet.
Areas we serve
Water-damage help near South Dakota
Our crew serves homes, businesses, and managed properties throughout South Dakota and nearby communities.
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