There are other solutions to your ice dam issues.
Salt to melt ice in gutters.
Then lay the filled pantyhose horizontally on the ice in your gutter.
This is where an ice melt system comes in.
When it forms the water then backs up behind the ice dam and creates a pool of water.
It melts ice faster than sodium chloride does works at lower temperatures than sodium chloride and also melts larger volumes of ice.
Hold off on the ice melting home remedies professionals don t agree on whether you can rely on home remedies such as pouring salt on the ice or filling a stocking with salt and placing it on top of the downspout so it slowly melts the ice.
You will find damage to that area over the course of the winter.
Check the pantyhose periodically as it might shift as the ice melts.
In many cases this is an extremely simple and cost effective solution that can help prevent costly water damage to your home.
There are two options for heated gutter systems.
An ice dam is a wall of ice that forms at the edge of the roof usually at the gutters or soffit.
This pool of water can leak into your home and cause damage to walls ceilings insulation and other areas.
Salt will eventually melt and can damage any grass or plants below your gutters.
In large concentrations these chemicals will also damage nearby shrubs and grass.
There are several ways to go about de icing gutters.
Simply put and ice melt system heats your gutters keeping that water from refreezing and causing mounds of ice.
The simplest one is to take a few handfuls of calcium chloride not rock salt.
Try one of these or a combination of the following options.
This can corrode the gutter and cause harm to vegetation when the ice melts and sprinkle it inside the gutters.
Because salt is corrosive it can have a very damaging effect on sidewalks over time.
If you have a gutter that drains near or on a concrete sidewalk or driveway the corrosive effect will quickly become apparent.
Think about a constant trickle of saltwater hitting the same area day after day as the snow and ice melt from your roof.
Calcium chloride is the best salt to use on ice dams according to handyman glenn haege.
Do not spread rock salt or calcium chloride across your entire roof as these chemicals are corrosive and can reduce the life of your roof flashing along with metal gutters and downspouts.
Putting some on the edge of the shingles can also inhibit ice dam formation.
Tie a long string to the filled pantyhose so you can easily retrieve them later.
Put de icer pellets or salt in a nylon sock.
It is not as likely to stain or cause corrosion as sodium chloride but it can damage wooden gutters.