A ridge of ice sits along the eave above the gutter
Through the final dry check, that ridge is the dam itself, and meltwater is pooling behind it.
Source of the water
Montana
Ice Dam Leak Cleanup in Montana
Our water-damage technicians 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 moisture readings guide drying, 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
Through the final dry check, 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 control the wet boundary, 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
From the source check, 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
From the source check, the snow needs to melt before there is any water to leak.
The roof field is clear of snow but the edge is iced
Through the final dry check, heat escaping into the attic melts snow over the heated part of the house.
What happens
How we handle ice dam leak cleanup
Our water-damage technicians adjusts the work to what got wet, how far the water traveled, and which materials can be saved.
Safety overhead before anything else
To control the wet boundary, wet ceiling boxes and can lights mean the circuit gets shut off from a dry location.
Stopping the meltwater at the dam
As moisture readings guide drying, 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 control the wet boundary, 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 control the wet boundary, 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
Through the final dry check, 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 moisture readings guide drying, 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 Montana?
Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.
What to expect
What to expect from our water-damage technicians
Through the final dry check, here is how we usually handle ice dam leak cleanup near Montana.
-
1
You call and we ask what the roof edge looks like
As moisture readings guide drying, ice ridge, icicles, snow depth and which side of the house it is on.
Your call -
2
Photograph the ice, then clear the room
From the source check, 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 control the wet boundary, sealed work area, drying equipment and the steam contact get lined up together.
+15 minutes -
4
Exterior and interior documented before work starts
To control the wet boundary, 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 control the wet boundary, 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
Through the final dry check, 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
Through the final dry check, 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 moisture readings guide drying, we explain the recommended work and price before you approve the job. As moisture readings guide drying, 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 | From the source check, national estimate. | $400 to $1,500 |
| Interior cleanup after one ice dam leak, one room dried in place | To control the wet boundary, 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 | Through the final dry check, 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 | From the source check, 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 moisture readings guide drying, 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 | From the source check, national estimate for sealing attic bypasses and bringing depth back to code. From the source check, 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 drying 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 moisture readings guide drying, national estimate for nights, weekends and holidays, billed once rather than per hour. | $100 to $400 nationally |
How many eaves are leaking
To control the wet boundary, one dam over one room is a contained job.How far the water ran along the wall
Through the final dry check, water spreads sideways on the top plate before it drops.Whether the ice has to be removed first
As moisture readings guide drying, steam removal is its own contractor visit and is usually billed hourly.How much ceiling, wall and trim has to come out
As moisture readings guide drying, board that can be dried in place costs a fraction of what removal and rebuild cost.Insulation type and depth at the perimeter
From the source check, blown in material at the eave has to be extracted rather than lifted out.Cold weather drying days
Through the final dry check, 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 control the wet boundary, water can keep moving into nearby materials even when the surface looks dry.
The dam rebuilds every night it refreezes
Through the final dry check, 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
Through the final dry check, shingles shed running water, they do not hold standing water.
Wet insulation makes the next dam worse
From the source check, 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 control the wet boundary, framing at 35 degrees releases moisture very slowly.
Helpful service information
What to know about ice dam leak cleanup
From the source check, start with the short explanation. To control the wet boundary, open a card if you want a little more detail.
What is happening inside the property
To control the wet boundary, heat leaking from the house warms the roof deck over the living space.
Read the explanation
To control the wet boundary, the physics here are simple and they explain everything about where the water shows up.
How the next step is decided
From the source check, ice dams form where heat loss is concentrated, so they come back in the same place until that path is closed.
Read the explanation
Through the final dry check, recurrence is the part that matters for your money. From the source check, 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
From the source check, 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
From the source check, inside the building, ice dam water behaves unlike any other leak we handle. From the source check, 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 Montana
Choose your area below, or call (877) 734-0262 and describe what happened.
Absarokee, MTActon, MTAlberton, MTAlder, MTAlzada, MTAnaconda, MTAngela, MTAntelope, MTArlee, MTAshland, MTAugusta, MTAvon, MTBabb, MTBainville, MTBaker, MTBallantine, MTBasin, MTBearcreek, MTBelfry, MTBelgrade, MTBelt, MTBiddle, MTBig Arm, MTBig Sandy, MTBig Sky, MTBig Timber, MTBigfork, MTBighorn, MTBillings, MTBirney, MTBlack Eagle, MTBloomfield, MTBonner, MTBoulder, MTBox Elder, MTBoyd, MTBoyes, MTBozeman, MTBrady, MTBridger, MTBroadus, MTBroadview, MTBrockton, MTBrockway, MTBrowning, MTBrusett, MTBuffalo, MTBusby, MTButte, MTBynum, MTCameron, MTCanyon Creek, MTCapitol, MTCardwell, MTCarter, MTCascade, MTCharlo, MTChester, MTChinook, MTChoteau, MTCircle, MTClancy, MTClinton, MTClyde Park, MTCoffee Creek, MTCohagen, MTColstrip, MTColumbia Falls, MTColumbus, MTCondon, MTConner, MTConrad, MTCooke City, MTCoram, MTCorvallis, MTCrane, MTCrow Agency, MTCulbertson, MTCuster, MTCut Bank, MTDagmar, MTDarby, MTDayton, MTDe Borgia, MTDecker, MTDeer Lodge, MTDell, MTDenton, MTDillon, MTDivide, MTDixon, MTDodson, MTDrummond, MTDupuyer, MTDutton, MTEast Glacier Park, MTEast Helena, MTEdgar, MTEkalaka, MTElliston, MTElmo, MTEmigrant, MTEnnis, MTEssex, MTEthridge, MTEureka, MTFairfield, MTFairview, MTFallon, MTFishtail, MTFlaxville, MTFlorence, MTFloweree, MTForest Grove, MTForsyth, MTFort Benton, MTFort Harrison, MTFort Peck, MTFort Shaw, MTFort Smith, MTFortine, MTFrazer, MTFrenchtown, MTFroid, MTFromberg, MTGalata, MTGallatin Gateway, MTGardiner, MTGarrison, MTGarryowen, MTGeraldine, MTGeyser, MTGildford, MTGlasgow, MTGlen, MTGlendive, MTGlentana, MTGold Creek, MTGrantsdale, MTGrass Range, MTGreat Falls, MTGreycliff, MTHall, MTHamilton, MTHammond, MTHardin, MTHarlem, MTHarlowton, MTHarrison, MTHathaway, MTHaugan, MTHavre, MTHays, MTHeart Butte, MTHelena, MTHelmville, MTHeron, MTHighwood, MTHilger, MTHingham, MTHinsdale, MTHobson, MTHogeland, MTHomestead, MTHot Springs, MTHungry Horse, MTHuntley, MTHuson, MTHysham, MTIngomar, MTInverness, MTIsmay, MTJackson, MTJefferson City, MTJoliet, MTJoplin, MTJordan, MTJudith Gap, MTKalispell, MTKevin, MTKila, MTKinsey, MTKremlin, MTLake Mc Donald, MTLakeside, MTLambert, MTLame Deer, MTLarslan, MTLaurel, MTLavina, MTLedger, MTLewistown, MTLibby, MTLima, MTLincoln, MTLindsay, MTLivingston, MTLloyd, MTLodge Grass, MTLolo, MTLoma, MTLonepine, MTLoring, MTLothair, MTMalmstrom Afb, MTMalta, MTManhattan, MTMarion, MTMartin City, MTMartinsdale, MTMarysville, MTMc Allister, MTMc Leod, MTMedicine Lake, MTMelrose, MTMelstone, MTMelville, MTMildred, MTMiles City, MTMilltown, MTMissoula, MTMoccasin, MTMolt, MTMonarch, MTMoore, MTMosby, MTMusselshell, MTNashua, MTNeihart, MTNorris, MTNoxon, MTNye, MTOilmont, MTOlive, MTOlney, MTOpheim, MTOtter, MTOutlook, MTOvando, MTPablo, MTParadise, MTPark City, MTPeerless, MTPendroy, MTPhilipsburg, MTPinesdale, MTPlains, MTPlentywood, MTPlevna, MTPolaris, MTPolebridge, MTPolson, MTPompeys Pillar, MTPony, MTPoplar, MTPowderville, MTPower, MTPray, MTProctor, MTPryor, MTRadersburg, MTRamsay, MTRapelje, MTRavalli, MTRaymond, MTRaynesford, MTRed Lodge, MTRedstone, MTReed Point, MTReserve, MTRexford, MTRichey, MTRichland, MTRingling, MTRoberts, MTRollins, MTRonan, MTRoscoe, MTRosebud, MTRoundup, MTRoy, MTRudyard, MTRyegate, MTSaco, MTSaint Ignatius, MTSaint Marie, MTSaint Regis, MTSaint Xavier, MTSaltese, MTSand Coulee, MTSand Springs, MTSanders, MTSavage, MTScobey, MTSeeley Lake, MTShawmut, MTShelby, MTShepherd, MTSheridan, MTSidney, MTSilver Gate, MTSilver Star, MTSimms, MTSomers, MTSpringdale, MTStanford, MTStevensville, MTStockett, MTStryker, MTSula, MTSumatra, MTSun River, MTSunburst, MTSuperior, MTSweet Grass, MTTeigen, MTTerry, MTThompson Falls, MTThree Forks, MTToston, MTTownsend, MTTrego, MTTrout Creek, MTTroy, MTTurner, MTTwin Bridges, MTTwo Dot, MTUlm, MTValier, MTVandalia, MTVaughn, MTVictor, MTVida, MTVirginia City, MTVolborg, MTWarm Springs, MTWest Glacier, MTWest Yellowstone, MTWestby, MTWhite Sulphur Springs, MTWhitefish, MTWhitehall, MTWhitetail, MTWhitewater, MTWhitlash, MTWibaux, MTWillard, MTWillow Creek, MTWilsall, MTWinifred, MTWinnett, MTWinston, MTWisdom, MTWise River, MTWolf Creek, MTWolf Point, MTWorden, MTWyola, MTZortman, MTZurich, MT
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Get a Quote: (877) 734-0262Common questions
Questions about ice dam leak cleanup
What is an ice dam and why does it leak?
From the source check, heat escaping into your attic melts snow on the upper roof. To control the wet boundary, that water runs down and refreezes at the cold overhang, building a ridge of ice.
How much does ice dam leak cleanup cost?
As moisture readings guide drying, nationally, one room dried in place usually runs about $600 to $2,000. From the source check, several leaking eaves with removal typically run $3,000 to $9,000.
Does insurance cover ice dam damage?
As moisture readings guide drying, usually yes for the interior damage, because it is treated as sudden weather damage.
Can I chip the ice off myself?
Through the final dry check, no. From the source check, 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 moisture readings guide drying, a roof rake used from the ground is reasonable for pulling snow off the lower roof.
How is the ice actually removed?
Through the final dry check, low pressure steam is the correct method and it is what the specialty crews use.
Why is the water coming out over my window?
Through the final dry check, the water enters over the top plate and drops into the wall cavity.
Talk with a restoration specialist
Water loss in Montana?
Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.
Areas we serve
Water-damage help near Montana
Our water-damage technicians trace homes, businesses, and managed properties throughout Montana and nearby communities.
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