Load reduction
We clear snow in stages rather than scraping down to the shingle, leaving a thin layer behind so the tool never rides on granules. Structure comes off the clock first, then we work the ice.
4.9
Across 1,100+ Google reviews
★★★★★ 4.9 on Google, 1,100+ reviews
Virginia / Winter Emergency
Snow and Ice Dam Removal in Northern Virginia
Wet snow weighs far more than it looks, and an ice dam is already pushing water under your shingles by the time you notice the icicles. We clear both without tearing up the roof.
Roof snow load
Steam removal
Frozen gutters
Emergency tarping
2
Offices, Springfield and Fredericksburg
Free
Inspections, no pressure
120+
Years of combined experience, a team born and raised in the DMV
Overview
A foot of wet snow on a 25 square roof is tons of weight, and the ice sitting at the eave under it is what actually gets water into your ceiling.
We take the load off and open the dam, in that order, using steam rather than chisels, hatchets or a bag of rock salt thrown on the shingles. Salt eats metal flashing and fasteners. A hammer takes granules along with the ice. Every visit is documented on CompanyCam so you can see the condition of the roof underneath once it is clear.
Steam, not chipping
Low pressure steam melts a channel through the dam and lets the trapped water drain. It does not gouge shingles, split seams, or leave the crushed spots a hatchet leaves behind.
Gutters and downspouts
A gutter packed solid with ice cannot take any melt, so we open the trough and the downspout at the same time. Otherwise the water finds the fascia instead of the ground.
Detail
How the call goes
Winter calls are usually urgent and nobody wants a sales process at 7am with snow on the roof. Here is exactly what happens when you call us.
- Same day triageWe ask what you are seeing inside, how much snow is up there, and what kind of roof it is. If water is already coming in we get someone out. We take calls all winter.
- Interior firstWith an active leak we deal with the water inside before anything else, then work the eave directly above it. Clearing 60 feet of roof does nothing for the one bay that is draining into a bedroom.
- Standing seam and snow guardsMetal porch and bay roofs release a snow slab all at once and it can take a gutter or a person with it. Snow guards are mandatory on those roofs and we flag any we find without them.
- A look underneathOnce the ice is off we check the shingles, the flashing and the gutter line and send you the photos. Finding a lifted course in February beats finding it during a June storm.
Diagnostic
Not sure what you are looking at?
Four questions. You get a straight read on whether this is a repair, a replacement, a gutter job or an insurance claim, and where to go next.
Roof and gutter diagnostic
Step 1 of 4
NO EMAIL REQUIRED
Coverage
Where we work
We cover Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg area out of two offices. Search for your town, or pick it off the list to see the map and the local page.
No match in our service area. Call (703) 347-6482 anyway, we travel for larger jobs.
Showing
Our full service area
Service areas
Why us
The part other crews skip
Inspected first
We get on the roof and photograph what we find before we quote. You see the same evidence we do.
Roofing and gutters together
One crew for the roof, the siding and the gutters, so nobody is blaming the other trade.
Licensed and insured
Virginia license 2705155080, CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified, fully insured on every job.
Every job documented
Photos and video through the whole install on CompanyCam, stored indefinitely, with a link that is yours to keep.
Reviews
What Virginia homeowners say
Questions
Snow and Ice Dam Removal questions we get asked
How do I know if I have an ice dam or just icicles?
Icicles hanging off the gutter mean melt water is refreezing at the edge, which is the start of it. A real dam is a solid band of ice sitting on the shingles above the gutter, often with water standing behind it. Stains on the ceiling near an outside wall usually confirm it.
Can I just knock the ice off myself?
You can, and every winter we replace shingles and gutters that came off with the ice. It bonds to the granule surface, so what breaks free takes the top of the shingle with it. Ladders on frozen ground are the bigger risk. If you do nothing else, stay off the roof.
Do you use salt or ice melt on the roof?
Not rock salt. It corrodes aluminum gutters, steel flashing and fasteners, and it stains masonry below. Calcium chloride in a sock is a stopgap a homeowner can use in a pinch. For actual removal we bring steam, which takes longer to set up and is far safer for the roof.
Will removing the snow stop it from happening again?
No. Removal buys you this storm. The dam forms because heat is escaping into your attic and melting snow that refreezes at the cold overhang, so it comes back with the next snowfall. Once the weather breaks we can look at ventilation, air sealing and insulation.
How fast can you get here after a snow?
Storm weeks run roughly worst first, so an active interior leak goes ahead of preventive clearing. We will give you a real window rather than a promise nobody can keep with six inches on the ground and every road slow.
By town
Storm Damage Repair Near You
Every town we cover has its own page with local detail. Pick yours.
By town
Snow Ice Removal Near You
Local pages for the towns we cover.
Before winter
The cheapest ice dam fix is a clean gutter.
Meltwater needs an open gutter to drain into. Clear the troughs by hand before winter and flush the downspouts, and the roof edge has somewhere to send the water. Gutter guards, screens and caps can make ice dams bigger, which is why we don’t install them. See why.
Snow on the roof right now?
Call and tell us what you are seeing inside. We will tell you whether it can wait for the thaw or needs a truck today, and the inspection costs you nothing.
- Free inspection, no pressure
- Photos of everything we find, yours to keep
- Licensed and insured, VA 2705155080
- CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified
Request your free inspection
Tell us what you are seeing and we will get back to you to set a time.