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Ice building up on bay walls

O

OurTown

Well-known member
This is our fourth winter and I don't remember the ice building up so thick before. It has not been above freezing here for more than a few hours in about a month. On a few walls I'm guessing it is close to 18' long by 8' tall and possibly an inch thick in the center. It is now going to be pretty much only above freezing for the entire extended forecast. Could this ice lose its adhesion and fall off in large sheets? It is on those Super Wash blocks (very smooth for blocks IMO) without any wall coverings. We are thinking of melting it off today but wondered if it falling off was ever a problem for you guys.
 
Never had an issue with it falling, just let it be. I don't think heat would be good for it, would be an extreme temp change in a short amount of time.
 
I think it would be really hard to damage the wall with heat while melting ice. I used a torch to melt ice off the side view mirrors of my van the other day and didn't break anything.
 
I had a winter where the ice built up on the walls 4 or 5 inches thick. Concrete block wall and the sheet eventually came off the wall in a big sheet when it warmed up a little. Of course there was a car in that bay and the ice sheet did about $1400 damage to the car. The next summer I installed FRP and ice usually only builts up a 1/4 to 1/2 inch or so before it starts falling off.
 
I use a hot water hose to get the ice off the wall and off the floor. The last few years we've shut down when it gets real cold.
 
I had this problem on block walls in Minnesota, ended up putting insulation board on the outside and covering with tin. Problem solved and hopefully cutting heat bills
 
Ive seen sheets of ice fall off the walls, many many years ago. No way Id want that to happen when a customer was in the bay.
When it gets to be more than 1/4" thick and wont be melting off quickly, I just use the high pressure rinse to get it off. A little bit of water behind the ice and it pops off in 3-4' wide sheets. If it takes more than 1 wash cycle per bay, I'd turn on the water heater to make it easier.
 
We removed the two big ones yesterday and one was about 1 1/4" thick in the middle. It was disturbing how easy it was to get off and a piece about 4' tall by 6' long came crashing down with just a few seconds of hot water behind it.
 
We use a rubber mallet to break the ice in a few spots, and then use the SS wand on high pressure rinse to pop it off (starting at the areas cleared with the mallet). We have to do this continuously throughout the winter.
 
Had a sheet of ice come down in my automatic bay once before I had doors it did quiet a bit of damage fortunately no one got hurt I paid for the damages . If memory serves me it was about 2k . Installed doors ASAP best thing I did no more chopping ice.
 
After hearing these stories I'm thinking that at least my concerns were not unfounded. I won't let the ice build up again. (I should write that on the chalkboard 50 times)
 
I am able to run hot water to my high pressure selection via a ball valve. When the ice starts building....I turn on the hot water, and "cut" grooves into the ice in 2 foot by 2 foot squares.

When the ice finally starts to melt (and loosen), it comes off in 2 foot squares. This way, it won't hit a car and cause damage.
 
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