Icicles On Your Roof Are A Sign Of Trouble
December 27, 2016
Have you ever been tempted, or dared, to stick your tongue on an icicle? First off, don’t do it because you might get stuck. Second of all, have you ever wondered why your home is covered those beautiful (but damaging) icicles anyway?
Icicles can be amazing! In the winter, you can see them everywhere but, if your home has them hanging from your roof, it is a sign of trouble.
Icicles are a symptom of ice dams. They form in your home’s gutter system due to lack of proper insulation in your attic. If your attic is too warm, this causes the snow on your roof to melt. As that melting snow pools into your gutters and freezes, the over flow eventually forms into the lovely icicle … that you might have just froze your tongue to.
Icicles and the ice dams behind them, can cause serious damage to your roof, your gutter systems and, eventually, can cause expensive water damage to your home.
The best solution to decreasing your home’s chances for these winter decorations is to properly insulate your attic. Between the heat rising up from the inside of your home to the heat of the sun beating down on your roof, the attic becomes an important player in the war against winter roof damage.
Unfortunately, chances are that you will not be able eliminate icicles from your home entirely. There are always a few sources of heat that will continue to sneak into your home’s attic. Plumbing stacks, bathrooms, chimneys, dryer vents – these are all points of weakness that can’t be helped.
Proper attic insulation is still your best defense against those beautiful and damaging roof decorations. With a properly insulated attic, your home can eliminate ice dams and thus a majority of icicles as well.
The season of icicles is the best season for you to have your attic worked on. Inspection, installation and clean up is much easier and more comfortable at this time of year, both for you and your contractor. You can also take advantage of our Attic Insulation Special and insulate up to 1,000 sq. ft. with an R-19 rating for only $575.
For more information on ice dams, don’t miss Dick’s Roof Repair’s blog: Lack of Attic Insulation Leads to Ice Dams
