Ice dam and winter leak response in Winnipeg typically costs $200–$1,200 depending on how many ice dams are forming, where the water is entering, and whether the leak has already soaked through insulation and drywall, but that range shifts a lot based on roof size, slope, and site conditions, so it should never be treated as a firm quote until a roofer is actually on your roof. Ice dams form when heat escapes through your attic, melts snow on the upper portion of the roof, and that meltwater refreezes at the colder eaves. The ice ridge backs water up under the shingles, and that water finds its way through flashing, underlayment, or nail holes and into your home. In Winnipeg's freeze-thaw climate, this happens every winter, and the damage is rarely visible until the spring melt reveals stained ceilings, warped drywall, and mould growth behind walls.
What Ice Dam & Winter Leak Response Includes
if you call Roof Repair Winnipeg for ice dam and winter leak response, you're not getting a guy with a shovel and a vague promise. The service is a structured response designed to stop the water, remove the cause, and document everything for your insurance claim if needed. what's included:
Emergency water containment. If water is actively dripping or pooling, the first step is to stop the damage. That means removing enough snow and ice from the affected roof area to break the dam's seal, and if necessary, creating a temporary channel through the ice so meltwater has somewhere to go instead of backing up under your shingles. We bring steam equipment and ice scrapers designed for roofing, not metal shovels that will slice through asphalt shingles like butter.
Ice dam removal. Steam removal is the only safe way to clear an ice dam without destroying your roof. Chemical de-icers (calcium chloride) can work in mild cases, but they're slow and corrosive to flashing and gutters. We use low-pressure steam to melt channels through the ice, which loosens the dam without prying, chopping, or hammering at your shingles. If the dam is small and accessible, we may use a combination of steam and manual removal, but only where the roof pitch and shingle condition allow it.
Leak source identification. This is where most Winnipeg roofers fail. They patch the ceiling, bill the insurance, and call it done. We don't. The ice dam is the symptom; the leak is the problem. Water can enter at the eaves, at a vent boot, at a chimney flashing, at a valley, or through a section of shingles that's past its service life. We trace the water path from the interior stain back to the actual entry point on the roof deck. That means checking the attic for frost accumulation, inspecting the underlayment, and looking for gaps in the flashing system.
Temporary roof repair. If the leak source is a damaged shingle, a lifted flashing edge, or a cracked vent boot, we'll make a temporary repair on the spot to stop the water. This might be a patch of roofing cement, a new section of flashing, or a shingle replacement if conditions allow. The goal is to stop the leak now and give you a clear picture of what permanent repair will cost in the spring.
Interior damage assessment. We document the interior damage, stained drywall, wet insulation, warped wood, so you have a complete record for your insurance claim. We also tell you what needs immediate attention (like wet insulation that will breed mould) versus what can wait.
Adjuster-ready damage report. Every inspection comes with a written report that documents the ice dam location, the leak entry point, the extent of interior damage, and the recommended repair. This report is formatted so you can hand it directly to your insurance adjuster, which speeds up the claims process and gives you leverage when negotiating coverage.
Ice Dam & Winter Leak Pricing in Winnipeg
Pricing for ice dam and winter leak response in Winnipeg starts at $200 and goes up to $1,200 for most residential jobs, but the final cost varies a lot depending on job size, scope, and site conditions, so never treat that range as a firm quote. Here's a breakdown of what drives the price:
Roof access and pitch ($50–$200 of the total). A walkable low-pitch roof over a single-storey bungalow is cheap to work on. A steep 12/12 pitch on a two-and-a-half-storey home requires safety equipment, more time, and more skill. Snow depth on the roof also matters, if we're clearing two feet of snow before we can even see the ice dam, that adds time.
Number and size of ice dams ($75–$250 each). A single small dam at one eave is a quick job. A full ice ridge running the entire perimeter of the roof is a multi-hour job that requires steaming channels, removing the ridge, and checking every eave for damage. Most Winnipeg homes with poor attic ventilation will develop dams at multiple locations.
Leak complexity ($100–$500). A simple leak at a cracked vent boot is a straightforward fix. A leak that's travelled along a truss, soaked through a section of sheathing, and damaged the fascia is more involved. We charge for the time it takes to find and address the actual source, not a flat "ice dam" fee.
Interior damage ($0–$300). If we're just stopping the leak and documenting the damage, there's no extra charge for the assessment. If you want us to remove wet insulation, cut out stained drywall, or apply antimicrobial treatment to prevent mould, that's additional labour and materials.
Emergency call-out ($75–$150). If you call during a storm or after hours, there's an emergency response fee on top of the repair cost. We're honest about this upfront, no surprise charges on the invoice.
Roof repair vs. replacement. Here's the truth: if your asphalt shingles are past their service life (typically 15–25 years in Winnipeg's climate), an ice dam may be the symptom of a roof that needs replacing. We'll tell you that honestly. If a $400 ice dam removal and flashing repair will get you another three to five years, we'll do that. If your shingles are curling, granulating, and brittle, we'll recommend a full roof replacement ($8,000–$15,000) and explain why patching it is throwing money away. We quote the fix you need, not the one that pads our invoice.
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Ice Dam Removal Cost in Winnipeg (2026 Rates)
Here is what ice dam work actually costs in Winnipeg this year, based on the rates local removal companies advertise and what we see on our own jobs:
| Service | Typical Winnipeg cost | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Steam ice dam removal (most homes) | $400–$800 | 1–3 hours of low-pressure steam, channels melted through the dam, eaves checked for damage |
| Roof shoveling / snow removal | $200–$500 | Clearing snow from the roof surface, usually the first 6–8 feet from the eaves |
| Hourly steam rate (large or complex dams) | $300/hour | Multi-dam roofs, thick ice, steep pitches, long runs of eave |
| Mechanical removal (hammer, axe, shovel) | $150–$300 | What uninsured "handyman" removals charge. It will crack your shingles. |
| Emergency winter response with active leak | $400–$800+ | Priority scheduling, interior containment, temporary patch until spring |
| Repair of shingle damage caused by mechanical removal | $1,500–$2,500 | Replacing cracked or punctured asphalt shingles on a 10 m² (100 sq ft) section |
The math that matters: spending $300 on a "cheap" mechanical removal usually costs you $1,500–$2,500 in cracked-shingle repairs, plus a voided manufacturer warranty. GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning all state in writing that mechanical ice removal voids the warranty on the affected shingles. If your roof fails in the next 10 years, that's a $10,000–$15,000 replacement you're paying for out of pocket. Steam removal costs more up front and is the only method that keeps your warranty intact.
What Actually Prevents Ice Dams (the Long-Term Fix)
Removal stops the water today. Prevention stops it from coming back in February. The three things that cause Winnipeg ice dams, in order of importance:
Attic insulation at R-50 or higher. Winnipeg's building climate calls for R-50 in most attics. When insulation is thin or settled, heat from your living space warms the roof deck, melts the snow, and feeds the dam. Most Winnipeg homes with recurring ice dams are sitting at R-20 to R-30. Topping up to R-50 is usually a $1,500–$3,000 job, done once, and it ends the cycle.
Air sealing, not just insulation. Warm air finds gaps around recessed lights, plumbing stacks, and attic hatches. That's the heat that melts snow on the day it's -25°C outside. Sealing those penetrations with caulking and spray foam costs a few hundred dollars and is often all a roof with decent insulation actually needs.
Balanced ventilation. Soffit intake and ridge exhaust work together to keep the roof deck cold. If your soffits are blocked or the ridge vent was never installed, cold air can't flush the attic and the deck stays warm. Ventilation work runs $300–$1,500 depending on how much of the system needs rebuilding.
Snow management between storms. After each heavy snowfall, raking the first 6 feet of snow off the eaves from the ground breaks the melt-refreeze cycle. It's free, it's safe, and it cuts the raw material an ice dam needs to build.
How the Ice Dam Response Process Works
Call and describe what you're seeing
You call, you tell us whether water is actively leaking, where the ice is building up, and how old your roof is. We'll ask about your attic insulation, your ventilation, and whether you've had ice dams before. This conversation helps us prioritize and prepare the right equipment
We arrive within 24–48 hours
During active storms, we may not get to you the same day, Winnipeg gets a lot of snow and we're a small crew. But we respond within 24–48 hours for storm-related leaks, and if water is actively pouring into your home, we'll do everything we can to get there faster. We'll tell you exactly when to expect us
Contain the water
If the leak is active, our first job is stopping the water. That may mean clearing snow and ice from the affected area, creating a drainage channel, or applying a temporary patch from the exterior. We also check the interior, moving furniture, placing buckets, and protecting floors, so the damage doesn't spread while we work
Identify the source
Once the immediate water flow is stopped, we inspect the roof system: shingles, flashing, vent boots, valleys, and the attic side of the deck. We're looking for the actual entry point, not just the spot where water is dripping. In many cases, the leak is coming from a flashing failure or a vent boot that cracked in the freeze-thaw cycle, not from the ice dam itself
Repair and document
We make the temporary or permanent repair, then document everything: photos of the ice dam, the leak source, the interior damage, and the work we performed. You get a written report you can hand to your insurance adjuster
Spring follow-up
When the snow melts, we recommend a full roof inspection to assess any damage the winter caused, granule loss, lifted shingles, cracked flashing. We'll tell you whether a repair is sufficient or whether replacement is the smarter investment. This inspection is free with any winter repair we perform
Why Choose Roof Repair Winnipeg for Winter Leaks
Small crew, low overhead, fair pricing. We don't have a call centre, a sales team, or a twelve-truck fleet. The person who answers your phone call is the person who inspects your roof, writes your quote, and does the repair. That means our overhead is a fraction of the big Winnipeg roofing companies, and that shows up in the price. You're not paying for a salesperson's commission or a marketing department.
Repair-first quotes. We started this company because most Winnipeg roofers do their worst work on roof leaks: patch the ceiling, bill the insurance, and sell a replacement you didn't need. We find the actual source of the leak, fix it properly, and tell you honestly when a repair is smarter than a new roof, and when it isn't. If your roof has 10 years of life left, we'll fix the ice dam and the flashing and send you on your way. If it's on its last legs, we'll tell you that too, with the numbers to back it up.
Winnipeg freeze-thaw expertise. This city goes through more freeze-thaw cycles than almost anywhere in Canada. We've worked through the November melt that turns into a skating rink by December, the February deep freeze that cracks flashing, and the March thaw that exposes every weakness your roof hid all winter. We know how Winnipeg's climate attacks roofs, and we know which repairs hold up through a full freeze-thaw season and which don't.
Storm response you can count on. Our 24–48 hour storm response means your leak is contained before the water does real damage to your insulation, drywall, and framing. And every inspection comes with an adjuster-ready damage report so your insurance claim goes through faster and with less friction.
Honest about insurance. Ice dam damage is often covered by home insurance in Manitoba, but coverage varies by policy and by the specific circumstances. We'll document everything and give you the report for your adjuster, but we'll never tell you to file a claim when it's not warranted, and we'll never inflate a damage estimate to help you commit fraud. That's not how we operate.
We serve all of Winnipeg and surrounding communities. From the older neighbourhoods of River Heights and Wolseley, where century-old homes have attic insulation problems that make ice dams a yearly battle, to new builds in Waverley West and Sage Creek, where poor ventilation can create the same issues, we've seen it all. We're local, we're insured, and we'll show up when we say we will.
Get Your Free Quote Today
If you've got an ice dam forming on your eaves, or worse, water stains spreading on your ceiling, don't wait for the spring melt to reveal the full extent of the damage. Call Roof Repair Winnipeg today for a free quote. We'll come out, assess the situation, and give you an honest price for stopping the leak and fixing the cause. Small crew. Honest repairs. Fair prices. That's what you get, every time.