pantyhose calcium chloride and Ice Dams

sannitig

Hey all, I recently have ice dams built up and I want to fix them temporarily...

I read that filling pantyhose legs with calcium chloride and putting them on the roof will get rid of them.

You put them with perpendicular to the eves and have the toes hang over a little.

Now, do these go at the high part of each run or at the end of each run where the downspout is?

or does it really matter?

joecaption

Is this a joke?
Ice dams are caused from lack of insulation casing a heating lose through the ceiling.
You need to air seal the attic (seal up any holes where plumbing, lighting fixtures and wires were run) and add insulation.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?...sulation_table

There also needs to have been Storm and Ice Shield added at least 4' from the bottom edge of the roon.

Soffit vents and ridge vent will also be very important to get rid of the hot moist air in the attic.

TheEplumber

I've heard of this but never seen it. Sounds to me like you're just throwing ice melt up there- put them above the ice dams

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sannitig

Yes that's all good but I'm pretty sure doing all that while there is a foot of snow in the backyard would be very difficult. (I obviously waited too long.)

I had my eves and soffits done during the summer and they put in those styrofoam air channel things. I'm going to do blow-in in the spring but RIGHT NOW there seems to be ice dams and I want to temporarily remedy it.

do these pantyhose go at the high part of each run or at the end of each run where the downspout is?

or does it really matter?

joecaption

Why wait, insulate now and not have rotted roof sheathing and water running down the inside walls.
Insulating has nothing to do with what's going on outside as far as temperture or snow.

gma2rjc

I read that you fill the stockings with the rock salt and lay the whole shebang inside the full length of the gutters. But since the salt dissolves quickly, you have to keep refilling (and replacing) the stockings. Sounds like a lot of work.... up on a ladder.... in the winter.

By the time you do all that, you'd be spending more time than if you follow joe caption's advice.

When I started sealing my attic, it was 12ºF outside. But since there was plenty of heat escaping up into my attic before sealing it, it didn't really matter.

You can seal and insulate your attic right now. I just did my mom's attics and it was freezing up there, but wear gloves and warm clothes and you'll be fine.

Next spring or summer, when your attic reaches ungodly high temperatures, you'll be glad you finished the job in the winter.

JMO FWIW

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retired guy 60

Before you try the calcium chloride/pantyhose method investigate how salt may affect your gutters especially if they are aluminum. Salt can be corrosive to metals.
I agree with the previous posters. Insulate now. If it is just a matter of blowing in insulation, that should not be too much of a problem. Much better than replacing sheathing and shingles on a cold snowy day.

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rossfingal

"Calcium Chloride" isn't quite, the same as "Sodium Chloride" (Salt).

ccarlisle

Oh...Explain

rossfingal

Different names - different chemical composition.
You don't want to use Sodium Chloride (Salt) to melt ice on concrete -
concrete and salt don't mix that well.
Use "Ice Melt".
If you have a cement truck, to do a pour - and the driver is going to add
"Chloride" -
They're not adding Sodium Chloride.

retired guy 60

I referred to calcium chloride because the OP asked about using that salt. I am more concerned about the effect of salt on his gutters (if metal and if metal, then likely aluminum) than on concrete. Salt is corrosive to most metals. I don't think we have to be concerned with whether it is sodium chorlide (table salt), calcium chloride, potassium chloride or any other salt.
My point being that the OP's idea is a "bandaid" solution which I am sure he is aware of. He is free to do as he pleases but the advice about correcting the underlying cause of ice dams is the advice I would follow.

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Windows on Wash

This is a first I have heard of it.

I wonder what the wife says when she goes to her underwear drawer???

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ktkelly

"What the hell kind of perverted thing are you into now?"


Comes to mind....

Canarywood1

What your trying to do is create a channel for the melt water to run to the gutter, so do two of them about a third of the way in from the ends of the roof,be a good idea to run a heat cable in the gutter and downspout also.

creeper

She won't care. Women stopped wearing those stupid things ages ago