How to Remove an Ice Dam From the Roof With a Snow Melt Sock

Fill the snow melt sock with a noncorrosive ice melt. Use calcium magnesium acetate or potassium chloride, as they are some of the least harmful ice melts on the market. Never use rock salt or magnesium chloride.

Tie off the open end of the snow melt sock. Some commercial varieties use Velcro, but you can use wire or a plastic zip tie.

Attach a rope to the tied end of the snow melt sock. Use rope that is long enough to reach the ice dam on the roof and beyond. For a single story house, 15 feet of rope is generally enough.

Stand on the end of the rope, and throw the snow melt sock onto the roof, intentionally overshooting the ice dam. Gently pull the rope, maneuvering the snow melt sock over the ice dam. Position the sock so that it lies over the ice dam.

Keep the sock in place until it has melted its way down through the ice ridge and created a channel for the backed-up water to flow. Pull the snow melt sock down gently with the rope.