Why Do Icicles Form On Roofs

Small icicles along the edge of your roof.

Why do icicles form on roofs.

Removing icicles and ice dams. These ice dams can cause damage to the interior and exterior of your home and should be addressed sooner than later. Small icicles are a normal part of life as a homeowner in west michigan so you don t necessarily need to be worried but you do need to pay attention and make sure no larger problems may be present. You will notice that some homes have icicles around the rooflines and some don t and that is with good reason.

Whether it s icicles or ice damming it could lead to water leakage in parts of the attic and even through the ceiling and walls. You will notice that some homes have icicles around the rooflines and some don t and that is with good reason. What causes icicles to form on a roof. Icicles don t always mean ice dams.

While the presence of an ice dam may be signaled by icicles on your roof it s possible to have an ice dam without any icicles to warn you. When you see icicles form on your gutters and eaves it is an indication that ice dams are building up on your roof. Ice dams and icicles form when the snow melts runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge. It s this very melting and refreezing process that causes ice dams in the first place.

Icicles are formed when rooftop snow melts then refreezes as it attempts to flow off the roof. It s simply a result of insufficient attic insulation or poorly installed insulation. The cause of ice dams and icicles is similar snow on the roof is warmed enough to melt and then refrozen into ice formations. Icicles usually form right along the bottom edge of a roof.

The presence of icicles can mean that heat is escaping from your home or business or that you have been through a freeze and thaw cycle. But if you see icicles hanging from the edge of your roof it may be a sign of an ice dam. This happens when warm air inside your home melts snow on the roof which then refreezes as it reaches the unheated colder eaves when temperatures drop. This scenario is often the result of a warm attic.

Ice dams are formed when the snow melts and runs down the roof and refreezes on the coldest part of your roof. When you see icicles form on your gutters and eaves it is an indication that ice. Regardless of how well an attic is insulated or ventilated or how well the roof is installed icicles can form off the edge of any roof. This only occurs when part of your roof warms to above 32 degrees f warm enough to melt the snow while the roof edge remains below freezing.

In this manner icicles get longer and thicker over time unless the temperature stays consistently warm or consistently cold for a long period.