How to Apply Roof Melts

Roof melts are sodium chloride or chlorine tablets used to melt snow and ice on roofs. Throughout the snowy season, with heat released from the attic and fluctuating freezing temperatures, snow begins to melt and then refreezes. As this refreezing happens, ice tends to build up along the edges of the roof, causing icicles. This ice buildup can trap water as more snow melts, sometimes leading to roof and ceiling damage. To prevent this, sodium chloride or other ice-melting compounds can be placed on the roof to break down the ice dams. Applying roof melts is fairly simple.

Things You'll Need

• Ladder
• Roof melt tablets

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Place a ladder against the roof. Have a second person hold the base of the ladder, because it can be extremely dangerous, depending on your ice situation.

   • 2

     Place the roof melt tablet above the ice dam. Ideally, you want the roof melt about 2 to 3 feet from the edge of the roof. This allows the roof melt to also melt any snow, then mix with the melted water trapped by the ice dam, which helps the roof melt break down the ice dam.

   • 3

     Place the roof melt tables every 2 to 3 feet along the edge of your roof.