Replies

1. 
   MarkH | Feb 02, 2011 05:02pm | #1

   Maybe a little bit of chain saw treatment to the icycle is in order.  At least make some channels to divert the water.  Got a pic? (or a pick)

2. 
   calvin | Feb 02, 2011 06:10pm | #2

   Be careful..........

   if it's down to the ground, at least some weight is being taken up.  Cut off the bottom and it might be too much for the gutter...........

   Next time get a pole and knock that thing off b/4 it gets to stalagtite volume................(or was it stalagmite?)

   If you're brave and I by no means recommend this :

   Get up high, tie off the icicle and figure which way to tie it off with tension.....................so it doesn't land on your car, neighbors house, other valuable objects.  Take that chain saw and climb up a ladder (definitely don't recommend this either).  Cut it up high, while someone pulls (out of range of course) on that rope you tied off.  Maybe, it won't knock you off the ladder, you won't spill any blood and it will come down like a tree.  You could call a tree trimmer-they might even be insured.

   This is a perfect question to be asked of Walter, the Slateman.  He used to come here, now taken up residence with the refugees at Breaktime Classic.

   Best of luck.

3. 
   DanH | Feb 02, 2011 08:27pm | #3

   Icicles dangling off the roof aren't a problem (except to be a hazard to people below).  The problem is ice buildup along the edge of the roof, which can occur without any visible icicles.

   Once it's built up to the point where it's causing damage you can either hire someone to come out with a hot water or steam setup to melt it away, or you can attempt to somehow get a channel in it yourself.  You don't need to remove all the ice, just punch a hole in the "dam" so water doesn't back up behind it.

   Probably the safest DIY approach is to fill something like some old tube socks with rock salt and lay them across the ice, running in the up-down direction.  These will slowly melt a notch in the ice.

   You could also try heating cables laced up-down across the ice.

   Chopping at the ice is both very dangerous and very likely to (further) damage the roof.

4. 
   Clewless1 | Feb 05, 2011 08:49am | #4

   The ice daming as you've indicated is the bigger problem ... as it is now so severe that it is backing up under the shingle and leaking in. You've got severe thermal leaks through your ceiling that causes snow on the roof to melt and build up on the eave. That is the cause of the icing and the subsequent damage you are seeing.

   The other potential problems are obvious as you've also pointed out. They could tear off the gutter. They could also hurt someone or break a window if the fall and crash against the house.

5. 
   DanH | Feb 05, 2011 09:10am | #5

   I'll add that around here this has been the worst year in my memory (been here 37 years) for ice damming.  We never get anything noticeable but this year have a patch over the upstairs bathroom where there's presumably an air leak.