The process of converting cold water to low pressure steam is fairly simple but at the same time it’s an exact science. Creating steam has been a useful tool for hundreds of years and has taken machinery and countries to whole new levels. And for the most part steam doesn’t need to be exact. However for safe ice dam removal with steam it does.
Converting cold water to low pressure steam in an ice dam steamer starts with the cold water input. Cold water is taken from the property through a garden hose and input into the float tank on the steamer. Hint: if a company wants to use your hot water hookup they are using a pressure washer and should not be allowed on the roof. The float tank on a steamer must be maintained with the correct level of water to insure the water pump is always filled with water and not air. The water pump draws the water in and maintains a certain gallons per minute or GPM and forces the water through long steel coils. The many feet of tightly packed schedule 80 steel coils force the water around a kerosene or diesel ignited burned with over 150,000 BTU! These steel coils are super-heated and therefore turn the water into steam inside of them. The water first entering the coils keeps the steam pressure moving forward out of the hose. Similar to squeezing a cold pop can and watching the compression push the steam out.
So in a nut shell converting cold water into low pressure steam requires constant input of water and constant output of water into the heating coils thus creating steam. Low pressure steam is the safest way to remove ice dams from a roof. If you are looking for ice dam removal companies in your area please consider hiring our members first before non members to ensure a damage free roof. Many companies use hot pressure washers and falsely claim them as steamers. These high psi phonies can not produce steam and can easily destroy your roof! Learn why the “appearance of steam” does not mean they are using a steamer. If you need any advice or have questions please contact us.