Ice Dam Roof Damage Repair and Prevention
The icicles were the warning; the stain over the window is the bill. We fix the eave, the sheathing and the ceiling, then air-seal and insulate the attic so the roof stays cold and the ice stays off.
JMB Builders repairs ice dam roof damage across the Twin Cities metro: shingles lifted at the eave, rotted sheathing and fascia, stained ceilings and wet wall cavities below. The repair puts ice and water shield back under the first courses and replaces what rotted. Then we fix the cause — attic air leaks, thin insulation and blocked soffit vents — so the same dam does not form next winter. Priced per project, quoted from your photos within one business day.
- Repair the eave, then fix the cause in the attic
- Ice and water shield under the first courses
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
An ice dam is a heating problem that shows up on the roof. Heat leaks out of the house into the attic, warms the roof deck, and melts the snow from underneath. The meltwater runs down to the eave, which hangs past the warm wall and is cold, and refreezes into a ridge of ice. Water pools behind the ridge, backs up under the shingles and comes into the house at the top plate: the stain over the window, the drip inside the wall, the paint bubbling at the ceiling corner.
So there are two jobs. The first is the damage: shingles that were lifted by ice and no longer seal, sheathing at the eave that went soft, fascia and soffit that rotted from the back, drywall and insulation that got wet. The second is the cause. Ice and water shield under the eave courses is the safety net and every roof we touch gets it, but it does not stop the dam; it just keeps the water out when a dam forms. Stopping it means air-sealing the attic floor, insulating to the code range, and getting intake and exhaust ventilation to move the heat that gets through. We do both halves.
In the middle of winter with water actively coming in, the immediate fix is to get the ice off without wrecking the shingles. A steaming service is the right tool for that and we can point you to one; hacking at it with a hatchet or laying salt in a stocking does more damage than the dam.
What you supply
- Photos of the eave from the ground, the damage inside, and the attic near the eave if you can reach it
- Whether the house had ice dams before and where; it is usually the same spots every year
- Access to the attic hatch
What JMB supplies
- Inspection of the eave from the roof and the attic, with photos of the cause and the damage
- New sheathing, drip edge and shingles at the damaged eave, over ice and water shield to the code line
- Fascia and soffit replacement where it rotted from the back
- Interior repair: wet insulation out, drywall patched, ready for paint (painting quoted as its own line)
- Attic air sealing at the top plates, can lights, chases and the hatch, then blown-in insulation
- Soffit intake opened or added, baffles at every rafter bay, ridge or roof vents balanced to it
- Photos of the attic before and after in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Length of eave that has to be opened and re-shingled
- How much sheathing, fascia and soffit rotted before it was caught
- Interior damage: a stain to repaint vs. a wet wall cavity to open, dry and rebuild
- Attic size and how much air sealing it needs (a house full of can lights is more work than a plain ceiling)
- Whether there is any insulation now, and what kind, before we add
- Ventilation: opening painted-shut soffits vs. cutting new intake into a closed soffit
- Roof pitch and height
Send a winter photo of the icicles or dam if you have one; it tells us where the heat is leaking before we go in the attic.
How long it takes
Eave repair on one section: one day. Attic air sealing and blow-in: one to two days more, best done in the same week while the roof is being worked on.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Eave and shingle repair
The first few courses come off at the damaged run, soft sheathing is replaced, ice and water shield goes on from the drip edge up to the code line, and the courses go back on with new drip edge. This is where the water got in.
Fascia, soffit and gutter
Ice dams push water behind the gutter and rot the fascia from the back. We replace the fascia and soffit sections, reset the gutter with the right pitch, and add a kick-out where a roof meets a wall.
Attic air sealing and insulation
The fix for the cause. Every gap at the top plate, around plumbing and wiring, at the chimney chase and the hatch gets sealed with foam or caulk, then the attic is blown to the code range for Minnesota. See the attic insulation page.
Ventilation correction
Soffit vents that are painted or insulated shut, no baffles so the insulation blocks the intake, or a ridge vent with nothing feeding it. We open the intake, set baffles at every rafter bay and balance the exhaust.
Full reroof with ice dam details
When the shingles are done anyway, the reroof includes membrane at the eaves and valleys and a proper ridge vent. Pair it with attic work and the ice dam problem is over.
Ice Dam Roof Damage Repair and Prevention: questions, answered
What damage do ice dams cause to a roof?
Ice lifts the shingle tabs and breaks their seal, so they leak and blow off later. Water trapped behind the dam soaks the sheathing at the eave until it delaminates, rots the fascia from the back, and runs down the wall inside at the top plate, wetting insulation and drywall. Most of it is hidden until the stain shows up inside or the fascia gets soft.
How do you prevent ice dams on a roof?
Keep the roof deck cold. That means stopping warm air leaking from the house into the attic, insulating the attic floor to the code range, and ventilating the attic with intake at the soffit and exhaust at the ridge so any heat that gets through leaves. Ice and water shield under the eave shingles is the backup that keeps water out if a dam forms anyway. Heat cables are a last resort for a spot that cannot be fixed from inside.
Does ice and water shield stop ice dams?
No, it stops the leak. The membrane seals around every nail and keeps water that backs up under the shingles from reaching the deck. The dam still forms because the attic is still warm. Membrane is required on every roof we do; air sealing and insulation are what actually make the dam go away.
Why does my roof get ice dams when my neighbor's does not?
Your attic is warmer. Look for the tells: snow melts off your roof in patches while theirs stays white, icicles hang at the same spots every year, and the attic has recessed lights, an uninsulated hatch, a bath fan dumping into the attic, or thin insulation with the soffit vents buried. Fix those and your roof stays snow-covered like theirs.
Should I remove the ice dam myself?
Not with a hammer, a shovel or a hatchet. You will tear the shingles and gutters and probably fall. If water is actively coming in, a roof-steaming service melts a channel through the dam without damaging the roof. Raking the snow off the lower part of the roof after each storm with a roof rake, from the ground, prevents most of the buildup in the first place.
Can ice dam damage be an insurance claim?
Sometimes. Sudden interior water damage from an ice dam is covered by many policies; the cost of the ice removal and the attic insulation usually is not. We photograph everything we open up and give you the report; whether to file is your call and your agent can tell you how your policy handles it.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All roofing pages
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