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ANOKA COUNTY, MN
Ice dam removal in Andover, MN
Steam only. No chopping, no chiseling, no pressure on your roof.
An ice dam is a ridge of ice along the eave that holds back meltwater, which can back up under the shingles and leak into walls and ceilings. On Andover homes, Glass House removes it with steam only, melting the ice away rather than breaking it off.
Every roof is different, so Carson Brenny, the owner, quotes removal for your home once he knows the roof and the access, and he does the steaming himself, with no crews or subcontractors.
STEAM ONLY
No chopping, chiseling or pressure that could harm your roof. Winter gutter clearing is included.
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Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
ANDOVER SPECIFICS
What ice dam removal means in Andover
The local conditions that shape how Glass House approaches ice dam removal in Andover, and the standards it holds to on every visit.
TREES
Oaks on the Anoka Sand Plain
Andover sits on the Anoka Sand Plain, where northern pin oak and bur oak are the most common oaks and the city calls oak wilt a serious problem. Emerald ash borer was first found here in 2016. Oak shade keeps roofs and siding damp, which algae and moss need, and oak leaves and catkins fill gutters each year. Ash killed by the borer turns brittle and drops limbs onto roofs and into gutters.
HOMES
A median home built in 1994
The median Andover home was built in 1994, and about half of all homes date from the 1990s and 2000s. After about three decades of sunlight, vinyl siding, painted trim and gutters break down at the surface into a chalky film called oxidation. Rain running over the chalk leaves streaks, and the roughened surface gives dirt and algae a better grip. Homes of any age get ice dams when attic heat melts snow that refreezes at the eave.
ALSO IN WINTER
Roofline holiday lighting
Steam ice dam removal is one of two things Glass House does through the winter. The other is roofline holiday lighting: deluxe warm white C9s, custom cut to the roofline, with installs from November 1 and takedown and storage included. Lighting books from early fall, and each design is settled with a consultation and a mockup before anything is cut.
STAY SAFE
Please stay off the roof
Icy roofs and ladders on frozen ground are dangerous, and chopping at ice damages the roof it is meant to protect. A wet or icy roof is a place for trained professionals only, so please leave the ice where it is and call before anyone climbs up.
Sources: City of Andover, Oak Wilt; City of Andover, Emerald Ash Borer; Point2Homes, Andover demographics (U.S. Census ACS 2019-2023).
HOW WE REMOVE IT
Steam melts it, and nothing is chopped
Ice bonds to shingles and gutters, so prying or chopping it off can tear shingles and bend gutters. Steam takes it off without force.
WHY WE NEVER CHIP THE ICE
Chopping, chiseling and pressure can crack shingles, knock loose the protective granules on their surface and bend gutters, which is roof damage done while trying to solve a roof problem. Steam removes the ice without any of it.
01
A look at the roof first
Roof conditions and access vary, so every job is quoted for your home before work begins. If a roof is too steep or too slick to work on safely that day, Carson will tell you so and plan around it.
02
Steam the ice
A dedicated ice dam steamer melts the dam and the ice along the roof edge. The ice is melted off rather than broken off, at a pressure that cannot harm your shingles, so there is no chopping or chiseling.
03
Clear the gutters
Winter gutter clearing is part of the process, so the meltwater has somewhere to go once the ice is gone, instead of backing up behind the roof edge again.
04
Show you what we saw
Any damage we notice on the roof, gutters or fascia is documented and shown to you. Most homeowners never see their own roof edge in winter, so this is a second set of eyes when it matters most.
05
Dry spot-free
Keep people and pets off the deck for at least 3 hours after washing while it dries.
FOR ANDOVER HOMES
What to know before your visit
ON CALL
Nothing to book ahead
Ice dam removal is on call through the winter, so there is nothing to book ahead. Call when a storm leaves ice on the roof.
SNOW
Rake from the ground
A roof rake used from the ground pulls snow off the lower roof with no one on a ladder, and it leaves less snow to melt above the eave.
MIDWINTER
Call when ice builds
A thick ridge of ice at the eave, heavy icicles or water showing inside are the signs, and any of them means it is time to call.
SPRING
Look at the cause
Once the ice is gone, have a roofer check for damage and the attic checked for heat loss, since removal does not address roof, insulation or ventilation causes.
HOW PRICING WORKS
Quoted for your roof
YOUR ICE DAM REMOVAL, AT A GLANCE
QUOTE FIRST
Steam ice dam removal
Quoted
Priced after Carson knows the roof, the ice and the access
Winter gutter clearing
Included
Part of the process, so meltwater can drain
Damage noted
Included
Anything we see at the roof edge is documented and shown to you
Future ice dams
Ask Carson
Not prevented unless a written prevention agreement is included
Builders and commercial sites
In person
Quoted in person by Carson
Roof conditions and access vary
Quote first
Ice dam removal is quoted for your home, because roof conditions and access vary from roof to roof. Carson gives you the price before any work starts, and winter gutter clearing is included.
THE OWNER
The person who quotes your home does the work
Glass House is owned and run by Carson Brenny, with no crews, subcontractors or handoffs. He grew up in Ham Lake, went to Blaine High School and has worked full-time in exterior cleaning for six years. The person who quotes your home is the person who arrives, does the work and walks it with you at the end.
Every job receives the gentlest method that will do the work, because too much force or too strong a mix can cause damage that no cleaning undoes. Every homeowner receives a clear explanation of what is on the house, why the method was chosen and what cleaning can and cannot fix, before any money is spent.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What ice dam removal includes and excludes
Steam melts the ice off instead of breaking it off, and the gutters are cleared so the water can drain.
INCLUDED
In every ice dam removal
• A look at the roof and access before we start
• Steam removal of the dam and backed-up ice at the roof edge
• Winter gutter clearing, so meltwater has somewhere to go
• Photos of any damage we notice
NOT INCLUDED
Outside ice dam removal
• Chopping, chiseling, hammering or pressure, at any time
• Preventing the next dam, unless a written prevention agreement is included
• Roof, insulation, ventilation or structural fixes
• Interior water damage repair
• Work on a roof too steep or slick that day
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
Steam only
A dedicated ice dam steamer melts the ice off rather than breaking it off, at a pressure that cannot harm your roof. No chisels, hammers or pressure washers are used, because those crack shingles and bend gutters, and the gutters are cleared once the ice is gone.
ANDOVER QUESTIONS
Ice Dam Removal in Andover: FAQ
What causes ice dams on Andover homes?
Heat escaping into the attic warms the roof, snow melts on the upper slope, and the water freezes again when it reaches the colder eave, building a ridge of ice that traps more water behind it. For homes that get them every year, the lasting fix is in the attic, and that work belongs to an insulation or ventilation contractor.
Do you serve all of Andover?
Yes, every neighborhood in Andover. Glass House is based in Ham Lake, and Andover is part of its regular north metro service area, so there is no trip fee. Carson quotes, cleans and walks every job himself, wherever in Andover your home is.
What is an ice dam?
An ice dam is a ridge of ice along the edge of a roof that keeps melting snow from draining off. Water pools behind the ridge and can back up under the shingles at the eave, where it can leak into walls and ceilings. Icicles and ice ridging along the eaves are the visible signs.
Why steam instead of chipping the ice off?
Ice bonds to shingles and gutters. Chopping, chiseling and pressure can crack shingles, knock granules loose and bend gutters. Steam melts the ice off rather than breaking it off, at a pressure that cannot harm the roof, so the ice is removed without the damage that force causes.
Is gutter clearing included?
Yes. Winter gutter clearing is included as part of every ice dam removal, not added on. Frozen gutters give meltwater nowhere to go, so clearing them once the ice is off gives the water a path off the roof instead of letting it back up behind the edge again.
Will removal keep ice dams from coming back?
Not on its own. Removal does not prevent future ice dams unless a written prevention agreement is included, and it does not address roof, insulation, ventilation or structural causes. If your home builds ice dams every winter, the lasting fix is a conversation for an insulation contractor or a roofer.
