Ice dam causing a leak in Sugar House

Tom Hanks, owner, 24/7 Express Handyman Service · Updated September 2026

24/7 Express Handyman Service answers ice-dam calls in Sugar House. 32°F is the line that matters for an ice dam, per the University of Minnesota Extension: part of the roof's surface has to stay above freezing while another part stays below it, and heat escaping into the attic is usually what keeps the upper roof that warm. (Dealing with and preventing ice dams — University of Minnesota Extension) 601 properties make up the Highland Park National Register historic district, which sits about half a mile southeast of the Sugar House Business District between Elizabeth Street, 1500 East, 2700 South and Parkway Avenue. (Sugar House Community Master Plan (Salt Lake City Planning)) In the Salt Lake City & Millcreek zone, the dispatch fee is $199–$349 by time of day, due on arrival and covering the first 60 minutes on site; typical arrival is 60–90 minutes.

Do this now

  1. Use a roof rake from the ground to pull snow off the lowest few feet of roof — that's the load feeding the dam.
  2. Never chip at the ice dam itself with a shovel or axe; that tears shingles loose and makes the leak worse.
  3. Put a bucket or towels under any active drip inside and move anything the water would ruin.

How much does an ice dam help job cost in Sugar House?

$264–$414

Ice Dam Help in Sugar House costs $264–$414 to start: a $199–$349 dispatch fee by time of day, which covers the first 60 minutes on site, plus the $50 supplies fee and the $15 fuel surcharge. After that, labor is $150/hour in 30-minute steps. Larger parts are billed at cost plus 25%.

See the full price sheet and estimate your own job

Call now

Salt Lake City & Millcreek

(801) 999-0827Text photos

Answered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.

Dispatch fee $199–$349 by time of day, due on arrival, covering the first hour on site. After that, $150/hour in 30-minute steps. Fuel surcharge $15. Supplies fee $50. Full price sheet and estimator

Typical arrival in the Salt Lake City & Millcreek zone: 6090 minutes.

24/7 Express Handyman Service confirms the address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee, and takes a card, before rolling.

An ice dam built up along the eave of a slate roof
Photo: Dmcroof, CC BY-SA 3.0

What 24/7 Express Handyman Service does on site

What to have ready when you call

What happens next

In Sugar House

Sugar House architecture is primarily residential, ranging from imposing Victorian residences and spacious homes near the Salt Lake Country Club to Craftsman bungalows and tracts of post-World War II cottages. (Sugar House Community Master Plan (Salt Lake City Planning)) From 1910 to 1926, developers Kimball and Richards annexed and built approximately 600 homes on 250 acres of vacant land south of Parley's Creek that they had purchased in 1909. (Sugar House Community Master Plan (Salt Lake City Planning)) Most of Emigration Creek through Sugar House is bounded by steep banks and runs through existing residential areas, and many residents have rear yards within close proximity of the streambed. (Sugar House Community Master Plan (Salt Lake City Planning)) Converting two-story older homes originally built as single-family dwellings into multi-family units is fairly common in Sugar House, and these conversions were often done illegally without a building permit or compliance with city zoning and code regulations. (Sugar House Community Master Plan (Salt Lake City Planning))

Calls come from around Sugar House Park, Sugar House Monument, Westminster University.

Questions people ask

Why do ice dams show up in Sugar House specifically?

An ice dam needs snow sitting on the roof, a roof warm enough underneath to melt it, and a cold eave to refreeze it on — exactly the swing between a heated attic and a below-freezing overnight low that the service area sees most winters.

More questions about ice dam causing a leak

Sources

All sources

Call (801) 999-0827Text

Answered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.