How to Melt an Ice-Covered Roof to Repair an Ice Shield

Brush snow off your roof with a rake. Retail stores sell a variety of long-handled, lightweight rakes, brushes and cutters designed for roof snow removal. Removing snow as it falls prevents ice dam formation and allows the sun to reach and help melt any existing ice if the weather improves.

Drape loops of heat tape perpendicular to the line of the roof, creating channels for melting snow to run from the top to the bottom of the roof. If you forget to position heat tape in the summer or fall, don't climb on an icy roof after the first snow. Instead, attach loops of heat tape to boards and use ropes to pull the boards into position on the roof.

Spray hot water on the ice to melt it. This method works best when the outside temperature is no more than a few degrees below freezing and the ice patches are relatively small.

Place ice-melt socks on your roof filled with roof-safe granules to create channels for melting ice.

Break up ice with a sledgehammer or mallet. Only do this if you can position yourself safely away from the path of the falling ice. Do not attempt this unless you have extensive experience in the roofing industry or are extremely knowledgeable about and experienced in safety procedures, as it can be very dangerous.