Ice Dams?
 

So I have water leaking pretty bad into my basement, I thought it was a pipe so I smash the ceiling open nope not a pipe. I go up to the kitchen and start to take stuff out of the cabinets dry as a bone then I look out the window yup water icicles coming from out of the eves, siding, you name it ice is coming out of it.

Now the question after I shovel the roof and get down to the ice is it ok to put salt or ice melt on the ice on the roof because I don't really want to chip it?

I've used the Ice Viper, which is a 3 or 4 foot tube filled with ice melt. Got it at HD years ago. Don't recall seeing it lately. But must be a similar product around. Could fill a nylon with ice melt... Just throwing ice melt on the roof isn't the best idea, but if the alternatives are having it leak, or chiseling it.... go with ice melt. Cables work well, but are tough to hold in place when ice is already there. Are your gutters clear?

I don't have gutters, I'm going to have to install that heat wire at some point

A few years ago I had Ice dams on the front of my house, so I set up a ladder in the middle of my house. Grabbed my 100' hose out of the garage and attached to the hot side of the washing machine hook up. With a bunch of rags that I wrapped around the spray nozzle I hosed down all the ice. I don't believe that this method will hurt the roof.
I wasn't sure about throwing salt on the roof....

Hope this helps Bob.

Bob, can you reach it with a roof rake? Pull down the snow 3 feet above the overhang of the eave.

I'm going to have to hand shovel it it's 2 1/4 stories in the back

This is a good idea, but knowing me I will slip on the wet ice and break my back

How steep is the pitch? Don't be stupid.... Need a ladder tall enough to reach the roof. Can still use the roof rake then.

your insurance policy "might" cover it
 

call them and ask

then ya can sub it out

happening here too

dripping in my bedroom
i went up to the second floor and put a big cooler to catch the drips

you can make a temporary plastic V-trench that empties into a funnel
then run it into a garden hose to a toilet or sink or other drain
rather than take any risks BOB

I throw rock salt up there and crack the dam with the backside of an axe. Water POURS out!

I have a safety harness and I will tie myself off, I am fully trained in fall arrest systems, I have a ladder the problem is there is a few feet of snow up there so the roof rake probably won't work

I am going to get off my lazy butt and get some buckets for tonight

I am not going to involve the insurance Co. because my rates will go up