I took this photo a few days ago of the icicles on a home in North St. Paul, Minnesota. Sadly, it wasn't the only home in the area with serious ice dams and scary icicles. It seemed every other home was decorated with these seasonal visitors. While pretty in some respects, they are dangerous....and not just to someone walking underneath either.
As a REALTOR® in the Twin Cities north metro, I have often see the damage that ice dams and icicles cause to homes. Icicles are often indicators of a serious threat to the roof and interior of your home. They are often the byproduct of ice dams that weaken your roof and can cause water damage inside your home. So if you have icicles decorating the eaves of your home, don't ignore them. Call a roofer and have them evaluated and removed as soon as possible.
If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet, Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota..JPG)
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Copyright 2010 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
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Teri: I can indeed remember many, many of those same kinds of icicles hanging from the gutters on my parents home in Cleveland.
Cool picture. That can become a serious problem and cause quite a bit of damage and is scary to walk underneath. Great shot!
I like your photo. We get some of that in Indiana but not as much you get in MN. Charlie Gantz, Greenwood, IN; J.D., M.B.A.; Owner; Principal Broker, Atlas Commercial Real Estate, LLC
As kids, we used to break them off and fight with them! Those are some good ones Teri!
Teri - Those are some serious icicles, especially those two near the end. I would suspect if one of those were to fall with someone standing under it, it could do serious damage.
Nice photo but dangerous indeed. Unfortunately, icicles also can indicate a case of poorly distributed insulation in the attic area creating a leaky thermal envelope that can cause icicles to form.
Teri
That is indeed some serious ice; I have many of those as well.
As John said, it indicates a number of potential problems:
The point to take from ice damns and icicles is if heat is being released from inside the house in winter, likely heat is radiating back in in the summer.
Energy-wise, it is a call for action to fix the roof, venting and home insulation.
Icicles can be so pretty to look at, but they can also be so hazardous, especially for your pets.
Hi Teri,
What a great shot, they're beautiful. Yet I've never really thought of them being dangerous.
Teri, I have to say this worried me all winter. It's the one thing I had lined up to have done on my home and the snow hit so early, my gutters weren't cleaned. I'm concerned there may be some damage when the Spring comes and I can have them checked.....
We are finally getting ours melted and now we are expecting 4- 8 inches and more cold weather.
Teri, those are some serious icicles! Great photo!
Hi All--They are very cool looking but can be seriously dangerous. Especially if over walkways, doorways and gas meters!Glad you enjoyed looking at them. :)