Last updated: 2026-09-26
Water Damage Lansing is a water damage restoration company that repairs ice dam water damage in Lansing and the Greater Lansing area. Lansing gets about 51 inches of snow a year, and on the right winter day — snow on the roof, sun or attic heat melting it, freezing temperatures at the eaves — a ridge of ice forms at the roof edge and backs meltwater up under the shingles. It shows up inside as a stain at the top of an exterior wall or the edge of a ceiling, sometimes days later.
What we do on the first visit
Ice dam water travels. It enters at the eave, soaks the attic insulation and top plate, and runs down inside the exterior wall. We take readings along the whole affected wall line and in the attic — the stain you can see is usually the smallest part of it.
We don't remove the ice dam itself; a roofer does that safely. We handle the interior damage and coordinate with your roofer if needed.
What ice dam damage looks like inside
Stains along the ceiling at an exterior wall, peeling paint at the top of the wall, water around a window head, and damp or compressed insulation in the attic. Because it's slow and repeated — melt during the day, refreeze at night — ice dam water often sits in wall cavities for days before anyone sees it, which is long enough for mold to start on the back of the drywall.
Drying insulation and wall cavities
Wet fiberglass and cellulose insulation lose their insulating value and hold water against the framing, so soaked insulation is removed. Wall cavities are dried by opening the drywall at the bottom or top where readings are high. Attic sheathing is checked for staining and mold. Everything is dried and verified before insulation and drywall go back.
Is ice dam damage covered?
Interior damage from ice dams is usually covered by a standard Michigan homeowners policy as sudden water damage. The cost of removing the ice itself, and roof repairs, may be handled differently. Photograph the ice at the eaves and the interior stains before anything is removed.
What's included
- Moisture readings along the full exterior wall line
- Attic inspection of insulation and sheathing
- Removal of soaked insulation
- Wall and ceiling cavities opened and dried
- Mold check on the back of removed drywall
- Drying equipment with daily readings
- Coordination with your roofer
- Photo documentation for your insurer
What this costs
ice dam water damage doesn't fit a single published price range, because the scope depends on what an on-site assessment of your specific property and situation finds. We give you a written scope and price after that free assessment, before any work starts.
When it needs doing
- Stains at the top of exterior walls during or after snow
- Water around window frames on upper floors in winter
- Thick ice ridges and icicles at the roof edge
- Damp or matted insulation in the attic
- Peeling paint along a ceiling edge
Related resources
These go deeper on the questions that come up most on this job: