Sponsored
What are those icicles telling you?

February 14, 2025

by Tom Olecki, Owner, Broadview Heating

This past January was a record-setting month. Temperatures dipped below 0, and it seemed snowfall of a couple of inches occurred almost every other day. This combination of extreme cold and frequent snow has allowed the buildup of snow cover on our roofs. Driving around I noticed what seemed like 80% of the homes had moderate to severe icicles hanging from the overhangs. I noticed, in severe cases, some almost touching the ground.

This is concerning, as icicles are an indicator that there is a design issue with the home. These issues can and should be remedied, because not only can this ice formation be dangerous should it fall on someone, but water damage may be happening to your home. As the ice melts, not only does it drip down, it is also creeping under your roof shingles.

Eventually, this will damage the shingles, rot the roof decking, create mold and could drip down and stain your ceilings or walls. No matter what, this damage is somewhat hidden and the repair can become very expensive.

There are three main reasons for icicle formation. Number one is poor insulation. Older homes typically were not built with near the insulation thickness that a newer home has. This allows heat to easily pass through ceilings and in turn melt the snow on your roof. Another possibility is that there is air leaking from your home into the attic space. This air can leak from a number of areas such as poorly sealed attic access doors or pull-down stairs. Leaking recessed ceiling lights, bath and kitchen fans that are not properly vented, or leaks from around a masonry chimney or even plumbing vents into the attic can be numerous. The third possibility is that your attic is just not properly ventilated. A properly vented attic will consist of correctly designed soffit openings, roof vents or attic fans. These openings will help to keep the attic as cold as possible and eliminate the melting of the snow on the roof, which in turn runs down and drips, forming the ice.

And what about having roof heating cables installed to melt the snow? These electric heat cables zigzag along the overhang and purposely melt the snow. Don’t do it. These heaters use a considerable amount of electricity, which is costly, and are only a patch, not a solution.

Sponsored What are those icicles telling you?

Sponsored
What are those icicles telling you?