A ridge of ice sits along the eave above the gutter
From the first damage clue, that ridge is the dam itself, and meltwater is pooling behind it.
Source of the water
Tea, SD
Ice Dam Leak Cleanup in Tea, SD
Our moisture-tracing team addresses water entering beneath roof materials, then dries attic insulation, framing, walls, and ceilings affected by the leak.
- Restoration phone support around the clock
- Residential and commercial loss response
- Measured extraction, cleanup, and drying
- One restoration team from assessment to dry standard
Signs to look for
When to call us for ice dam leak cleanup
As hidden moisture is traced, 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
From the first damage clue, icicles mean water is running down a warm roof and freezing at a cold edge.
A wet or stained line where the ceiling meets an exterior wall
To protect nearby materials, ice dam water enters over the top plate and drops into the corner.
Water is running out of the top of a window or a door
During the watchful inspection, 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
During the watchful inspection, the snow needs to melt before there is any water to leak.
The roof field is clear of snow but the edge is iced
From the first damage clue, heat escaping into the attic melts snow over the heated part of the house.
What happens
How we handle ice dam leak cleanup
Our moisture-tracing team adjusts the work to what got wet, how far the water traveled, and which materials can be saved.
Safety overhead before anything else
To protect nearby materials, wet ceiling boxes and can lights mean the circuit gets shut off from a dry location.
Stopping the meltwater at the dam
As hidden moisture is traced, steam removal is the correct method, and we coordinate a crew that has the equipment.
Reading the ceiling perimeter and the top of the wall
To protect nearby materials, 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
To protect nearby materials, 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
From the first damage clue, 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
As hidden moisture is traced, the house stays heated, the wet cavity gets contained, and air movers work into the openings with an Professional dehumidifier on the room.
Talk with a restoration specialist
Water loss in Tea, SD?
Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.
What to expect
What to expect from our moisture-tracing team
To protect nearby materials, here is how we usually handle ice dam leak cleanup near Tea, SD.
-
1
You call and we ask what the roof edge looks like
As hidden moisture is traced, ice ridge, icicles, snow depth and which side of the house it is on.
Your call -
2
Photograph the ice, then clear the room
During the watchful inspection, take pictures of the eave from the ground while the ice is still there.
+5 minutes -
3
A crew is dispatched for cold weather work
To protect nearby materials, sealed work area, drying equipment and the steam contact get lined up together.
+15 minutes -
4
Exterior and interior documented before work starts
To protect nearby materials, we record the dam, the icicles, the gutter condition and every interior stain with dates.
On arrival -
5
The meltwater gets stopped at the eave
To protect nearby materials, 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
From the first damage clue, readings run the full exterior wall length, the ceiling perimeter and both sides of every window head.
First hours on site -
7
Swollen casing off, wet blown in material out at the eave
From the first damage clue, swollen window casing, failed board and soaked blown in insulation at the eave are removed and logged.
Day 1
Understanding the cost
What can affect the price
As hidden moisture is traced, we explain the recommended work and price before you approve the job. As hidden moisture is traced, 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 | During the watchful inspection, national estimate. | $400 to $1,500 |
| Interior cleanup after one ice dam leak, one room dried in place | To protect nearby materials, 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 | From the first damage clue, 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 | During the watchful inspection, national estimate for extraction, bagging and disposal of soaked material. | $1.00 to $2.50 |
| Perimeter drywall removal with cavity drying, per square foot | As hidden moisture is traced, 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 | During the watchful inspection, national estimate for sealing attic bypasses and bringing depth back to code. During the watchful inspection, 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 recovery 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 | As hidden moisture is traced, national estimate for nights, weekends and holidays, billed once rather than per hour. | $100 to $400 nationally |
How many eaves are leaking
To protect nearby materials, one dam over one room is a contained job.How far the water ran along the wall
From the first damage clue, water spreads sideways on the top plate before it drops.Whether the ice has to be removed first
As hidden moisture is traced, steam removal is its own contractor visit and is usually billed hourly.How much ceiling, wall and trim has to come out
As hidden moisture is traced, board that can be dried in place costs a fraction of what removal and rebuild cost.Insulation type and depth at the perimeter
During the watchful inspection, blown in material at the eave has to be extracted rather than lifted out.Cold weather drying days
From the first damage clue, 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
To protect nearby materials, water can keep moving into nearby materials even when the surface looks dry.
The dam rebuilds every night it refreezes
From the first damage clue, one warm afternoon and one cold night is all it takes to make more ice.
This water is above the line the roof was designed for
From the first damage clue, shingles shed running water, they do not hold standing water.
Wet insulation makes the next dam worse
During the watchful inspection, 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
To protect nearby materials, framing at 35 degrees releases moisture very slowly.
Helpful service information
What to know about ice dam leak cleanup
During the watchful inspection, start with the short explanation. To protect nearby materials, open a card if you want a little more detail.
What is happening inside the property
To protect nearby materials, heat leaking from the house warms the roof deck over the living space.
Read the explanation
To protect nearby materials, the physics here are simple and they explain everything about where the water shows up.
How the next step is decided
During the watchful inspection, ice dams form where heat loss is concentrated, so they come back in the same place until that path is closed.
Read the explanation
From the first damage clue, recurrence is the part that matters for your money. During the watchful inspection, 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
During the watchful inspection, 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
During the watchful inspection, inside the building, ice dam water behaves unlike any other leak we handle. During the watchful inspection, 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 Tea, SD
Choose your area below, or call (888) 910-0208 and describe what happened.
Common questions
Questions about ice dam leak cleanup
What is an ice dam and why does it leak?
During the watchful inspection, heat escaping into your attic melts snow on the upper roof. To protect nearby materials, that water runs down and refreezes at the cold overhang, building a ridge of ice.
How much does ice dam leak cleanup cost?
As hidden moisture is traced, nationally, one room dried in place usually runs about $600 to $2,000. During the watchful inspection, several leaking eaves with removal typically run $3,000 to $9,000.
Does insurance cover ice dam damage?
As hidden moisture is traced, usually yes for the interior damage, because it is treated as sudden weather damage.
Can I chip the ice off myself?
From the first damage clue, no. During the watchful inspection, 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?
As hidden moisture is traced, a roof rake used from the ground is reasonable for pulling snow off the lower roof.
How is the ice actually removed?
From the first damage clue, low pressure steam is the correct method and it is what the specialty crews use.
Why is the water coming out over my window?
From the first damage clue, the water enters over the top plate and drops into the wall cavity.
Talk with a restoration specialist
Water loss in Tea, SD?
Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.
Areas we serve
Water-damage help near Tea, SD
Our moisture-tracing team carefully trace homes, businesses, and managed properties throughout Tea, SD and nearby communities.
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