I am the proud owner of a drafty country home built in the 1940's home that has the most beautiful icicles hanging from the roof, almost touching the ground.  Beautiful to look at - yes, but dangerous in so many ways.

While small icicles are normal, large icicles are a sign that something is wrong.  Large icicles and ice dams on the roof are caused by poor insulation and air leakage from the house into the attic.  And in the winter, this warms the roof and causes the snow to melt faster than it should.  Add all this to a steady-cold Southern Tier winter, with the snow melting on the roof, the snow refreezes and can cause havoc on your roof that can later show up on the homes' ceilings and walls.  This has happened to me and it's not pretty.

So what is a homeowner to do?  First be cautious of falling ice and all the potential dangers that goes with that.  Then, locate the important leakage points, seal them up and insulate like crazy.  I've been warned to not climb the rood under any condition.  While a snow rake can remove snow on the roof, do not remove ice as this can cause serious roof damage.

There are also some safe roof products that could also help, as demonstrated in this video.  I am by no means endorsing this product because I have no experience with it.  I would love to hear back from you with your feedback as I'm considering taking care of my existing ice problems.

 

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