How To Safely Remove Icicles From Gutters

To prevent icicles from forming in the first place clean out gutters before freezing temps hit to keep items like leaves from clogging the downspouts and allowing water to build up says jason miller a merchandising director for lowe s.

How to safely remove icicles from gutters.

Whether for safety reasons to prevent strain on gutters or even for the satisfaction of knocking them down many of us are tempted to remove icicles ourselves. Icicles may be pretty but they can tear off gutters loosen shingles and cause water to back up into your house. An ice dam is a wall of ice that forms at the edge of the roof usually at the gutters or soffit. This article will explain what ice dams are how they form and the best methods for removing them safely.

Don t try to remove thick. The long handle on the rake allows you to remove icicles and. Our experts share fast fixes for ice dam removal long term repair and prevention tips. The icicles dripping from gutters across the region aren t going away anytime soon since the weather forecast calls for sub zero temperatures for the next few days.

For small icicles less than a foot long and an inch wide you can remove them yourself with something like a telescoping snow rake available at hardware stores. Icicles are usually one of the first warning signs of possible ice dams on your roof. Before proceeding you should know what risks come with removing icicles from your gutter yourself. While standing safely on the ground hold a long handled aluminum rake and use it to scrape the snow and icicles off your roof.