Angie's List Tips > February 2009 > Tips for dealing with dangerous icicles

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Tips for dealing with dangerous icicles

Posted: 2/5/2009 12:16:24 PM | 2 comments
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If you have long icicles hanging from your gutters, that’s a warning sign of possible ice dams on your roof.

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining off the roof. Some damage from an ice dam is easily recognizable, while some is not so obvious.

Ice damming could lead to water trapped on the roof, forced under shingles and up the roofline. This could pose disastrous results, including wet interior walls and carpets, or a flooded basement. Industry experts recommend adding insulation to your attic and making sure it’s properly ventilated if you notice a buildup snow and ice on your roof.

Angie’s List offers 7 dos and don’ts for dealing with ice damming:
  • Call a professional: Removing an ice dam can be quite dangerous. A good place to start is with a reputable roofing contractor. Check Angie’s List and get estimates and references from contractors in your area. Gutter cleaning companies may also offer this service.
  • Remove snow from the roof: If you’re tackling the job yourself, there is a special tool for removing snow called a “roof rake”. Carefully pull it down the slope of the roofline. Never pull snow across the roof. You could damage the shingles.
  • Chip away at the ice: For immediate action, you can chip away through the ice dam so the water can flow through. Stop when you get close to the roofing.
  • Properly ventilate and insulate the attic: The main cause of ice dams is an overly warm attic.
  • Never walk on a snow-covered roof: Make sure you work from a ladder to access/fix the damage.
  • Do not install mechanical equipment or water heaters in attics: These are a fire hazard. Stick to insulation to help keep heat in your home.
  • Do not use salt or calcium chloride to melt snow off the roof: These chemicals are very corrosive. The runoff of these chemicals can also damage grass and plants.
Comments
Miriam Rivera
Thanks for the article. I always thought icicles hung down from the roof because it was too cold for the roof to do anything else (just kidding). But seriously, it is very helpful to know that icicles are a symptom of a more serious problem on the roof itself. The information about roof damming and the remedies to cure the problem are very timely and helpful. Let's hope we will have less cold and more sunshine as we head into spring (hurray!).
2/19/2009 10:35:02 AM
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Sid Cox
I just had my roof insulated and now I have icicles haning, more then ever ????
2/12/2010 1:26:39 PM
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