Removing Ice Dams:
Many people have been dealing with ice dams. The solutions to dealing with and removing ice dams have been addressed on this site and can be accessed through searching “ice dams, insulation, air leaks, or ventilation.”
If your house is prone to ice dams, one of the best measures is to rake or remove the first 3′ feet of snow from the roofs edge. for this to be successful this must be done right after it snows. [with in hours]
See Removing Ice Dams.
Once an ice dam forms chipping or chiseling channels in the ice will allow the roof to drain.
Another method is to fill nylon pantyhose with Calcium chloride and place them every three feet in cut out channels. This is a slow to work process but it lasts a long time.
Tying a rope to the nylons will assist you in removal after thee Calcium Chloride is depleted. One pull of the rope and they come down.
Photo credit: richardsonplanet.com