Ice Dams: What are they and how to prevent them from damaging your home

Dealing with ice dams before they damage your home

When icicles form on the sides of your home, it may be the sign of an ice dam. The main cause of this is uneven temperatures between the inside of an attic and the outside. This is normally due to poor insulation near the top of the home.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Many homeowners don't pay attention when they see something as normal as icicles hanging from their gutters. But they can also be signs of trouble for your roof as it means there may be a sheet of ice damaging your home.

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When icicles form on the sides of your home, it may be the sign of an ice dam. The main cause of this is uneven temperatures between the inside of an attic and the outside. 

This is normally due to poor insulation near the top of the home.

There, warm air from inside melts the snow on the roof, which then freezes into ice when in the cold.

This can cause a large buildup of ice on top of the house, potentially causing damage to shingles and gutters, water in the home and potentially mold. 

So, if you see a large cluster of icicles on the side of your home, you may have an ice dam. 

What you can do:

FOX 2 spoke with Adam Helfman of ‘Hire it Done’ who has some tips on what to do and how to prevent ice dams from forming.

Helfman said something you can do on your own to prevent ice dams is to grab some pantyhose, fill them with ice melt, and throw it in the gutter of your roof before any ice forms.

So two things to remember, if you see an ice dam, you should check the insulation on your roof. Then next, get rid of the icicles. But better than trying it, call a professional to do it.

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