How Dangerous Are Icles From The Gutter

Icicles are a common sight in the winter but despite their pretty appearance they can pose a threat to people pets and gutter systems.

How dangerous are icles from the gutter.

But to the wallets of a homeowner knocking huge icicles hanging from a roof can be a costly catastrophe. A single gallon of rainwater can weigh as heavy as eight pounds. To prevent icicles from forming keep your gutters clear of leaves needles and other debris. This can cause one of two problems 1 icicles 2 ice dams.

Many roofing and gutter companies around the country tell clients to leave the icicles. This may be a controversial post because icicles hanging from gutters isn t a good thing right. They can fall on unsuspecting pedestrians or homeowners. Icicles are especially dangerous when the temperatures rise and the sun causes accumulated snow and ice to melt during the day.

Another risk is the icicles tearing the entire gutter away from the side of the house. Also the huge weight of ice and snow will not be a burden. If you re a homeowner who recently installed gutter guards and woke up to see icicles hanging from your gutters you re probably wondering what the heck is going on especially if this is the first time it has happened. But icicles have a dark side too and can actually pose a real danger to people pets and property.

As the sun shines down onto your roof it will melt the snow and ice on the surface first which means the icicles will disappear and the gutters will be free flowing immediately rather than days or weeks of thawing and refreezing. While rare death can occur from being hit by a falling icicle. Accumulated ice and icicles can cause gutters to crash. There are several risks to knocking icicles down yourself.

When it comes to icicles on gutters the warm air causes the underside of the roof to warm up and can thaw snow and ice. The first of these is that falling ice can act in unpredictable ways and in trying to remove it you run the risk of injuring yourself or others.