We handle ice dam removal in Rochester, MN across all four city ZIPs and the rest of Olmsted County, steaming eave ice back to the shingles so snowmelt drains off. Calls are answered 24/7.
Rochester ice dam removal is steam work: we melt the band of ice frozen on your eave so snowmelt drains off the roof instead of backing up under the shingles. We do it across Olmsted County the same way we handle ice dam removal statewide, and hours on the roof set most of the price.
Over upstairs bedrooms and baths
Median year structure built for Rochester is 1989, per the Census. University of Minnesota Extension points to house air moving up into the attic as the biggest heat loss behind ice dams in a large share of homes, whatever their age.
Story-and-a-half rooms under the roof
Of Rochester's 54,492 housing units, 4,175 were built in 1939 or earlier. Where a heated room sits right under the roof slope, there is little attic space to keep that heat off the shingles.
North-facing eaves and shaded roofs
Normal annual snowfall at Rochester International Airport is 53.1 inches. On 78.1 days a year the high never climbs past 32 F, so the edge ice has no chance to melt off between storms.
NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Rochester International Airport show when a frozen eave turns into a leak.
| Measure | Rochester figure | What it means for your roof |
|---|---|---|
| Nights at 32 F or colder | 155.8 a year | Meltwater that reaches the cold eave freezes again most nights |
| December thaw days (high over 32 F) | 13.3 | Early thaws start building the dam |
| January thaw days | 8.3 | Fewer melts, so ice and snow stack up |
| February thaw days | 10.5 | Melt picks up while the eave stays frozen |
| March thaw days | 24.0 | The most water runs into the dam, and most leaks show |
| 2022-23 season (DNR State Climatology Office) | 63.3 inches, 12th snowiest on record | A heavy winter piles new ice on top of old |
We do one job in three situations, all with low-pressure steam and a ladder set on packed snow.
When a ceiling is already wet, we first cut a slim drain path through the ice above it, then take the rest of the dam off. Extension guidance says a single opening stops draining after a few days.
We cut the dam into sections with steam and let each one drop to the snow below, working down until the shingles and drip edge show. Nobody chips or hammers at the roof.
Icicles hanging from the back of the gutter and dark streaks down the siding usually mean water is running behind the gutter. We steam that ice free so water leaves over the front edge again.
Rochester changed its roofing rules, and they apply when an ice dam has already ruined shingles.
Since May 1, 2025, the City of Rochester requires a building permit for all residential re-roofing, including single-family homes, two-family homes and townhouses, and the city's Building Safety staff issue it.
The city inspects the roof sheathing, the underlayment and the final roof. The ice barrier is part of that underlayment, and Minnesota code carries it up from the eave until it sits at least 24 inches in from the outer wall.
Steam removal takes the ice off and leaves the roof covering as it was. If dam damage leads to a re-roof, the roofer you hire applies for that permit.
Tell us your city, the kind of roof and whether water is already showing inside.
Call (612) 471-2509A few safe steps from inside the house keep the damage smaller while you wait.
Set out buckets and towels, and move rugs, beds and electronics away from the wet wall.
If water is running through a fixture, turn off that circuit at the breaker panel.
Photograph the stains and the ice from the yard. MPR News reported that Minnesota insurers usually pay for ice dam water damage and leave the removal bill to the homeowner.
University of Minnesota Extension notes a roof rake may damage roofing materials, so read our guide on raking snow off the roof before trying it.
Every Rochester ZIP is on our list, along with the rest of Minnesota; see other Minnesota cities we cover.
Across Rochester
Rochester's ZIPs 55904 and 55906 are on our list too, from the blocks around Mayo Clinic to the homes near Silver Lake.
Woodbury's housing is newer on average than Rochester's, so its dams trace mostly to attic air leaks. See our Woodbury ice dam work.
Edina's homes are older on average than Rochester's, with different weak spots at the eave. Read about how Edina roofs ice up.
St. Cloud's station records fewer January thaw days than Rochester's, so its dams grow thicker between melts. Here is our nearby St. Cloud service.
What Rochester homeowners ask us once the eaves start to ice.
Yes. Every Rochester ZIP is on our list, including the areas around Mayo Clinic and Silver Lake, plus the towns around the city in Olmsted County.
Late winter. NOAA normals give Rochester an average of 24.0 days with a high over 32 F in March, against 8.3 in January, and each thaw sends more water into the dam. See the Minnesota ice dam calendar for the full picture.
From the ground, with care. Pulling snow off removes what feeds the dam, but Extension notes rakes may damage roofing materials. Climbing onto an iced roof is where people get hurt.
Mostly the hours on the roof: the dam's thickness, how long the eaves are and how high the ladder goes. Typical figures are in the cost table on our homepage.
Tell us which eave holds the ice and where water is showing, and we'll work out the visit from what you describe.
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Call (612) 471-2509