Excessive Icicles (long)

[Dunzley]

Hi, My mother has a 40+ year old cape cod style house which was reroofed for the first time over existing older shingles about 5 years ago. (We were told at the time that the roof was in very good shape for it's age, but did have some cosmetic wearing of the shingles). The contractor that did the work has been in business for over 30 years in our county and is very reputable. Had new flashing and new gutters put on at the same time. The attic was finished by my father about 35 years ago (2 bedrooms, 1 bath). There are three attic vents on the east, west and north side of the house. There is also ventilation under the overhang of the front door. The house was vinyl sided at the same time. According to my mother, when the attic was finished off, my father used "quality insulation, and plenty of it". She had the gutters cleaned about a week before the storm hit here in the northeast over the weekend. The house seems to have an excess of amount of really thick icicles compared to the neighboring houses. The downspout nearest the flashing is totally ice incased. The icicles are hanging over each downspout (4), and over the gutters as well, forming running icicles down the length of the siding on the house in some areas. When the thermostat is set at anything above 62, the upstairs bedrooms and bath become very warm, yet the downstair rooms are comfortable to cool. Any suggestions as to what the problem could be and how I go about correcting it. I'm concerned that ice dams will form and she will have a boat load of damage to the interior walls. I appreciate any help in pointing me in the right direction. Regards, Dunzley

[Stormin Mormonn]

Icicles are caused by heat escaping through the roof, and melting the snow out from under.

The solution is generally issullaton of the attic floor and roof, and also ventilation.

My parents house had annual icicles. Dad was up on a ladder each year with an ice pick. A friend and I blew in cellulose, and put in a couple vents on the sidewall. No more icicles.

[m Ransley]

Icicles " i cicles " or " ICI cles" good one Chris youngies , learn that in schooles didyaes It is spelled ' ICESICKLES" NOT icicles or IS e KLES, yo worse than OZZY OZbourne tu ma drug he / TU MA DRUG HE? me stoned monday, maaa sa so

[Gary Slusser]

"Dunzley" wrote

If the gutters were clean, the water would run out. There has to be a blockage for the water to dam in a gutter and then overflow. I can tell this is true by looking out my picture window. And I just cleaned that gutter two weeks ago....

[HA HA Budys Here]

Not all the time. When the weather and other factors are just right, it doesn't matter how clean your gutters are.

Consider freezing air temps, but sunshine on the roof or escaping heat from the upper portion of a roof cause snow to melt and run down, often under a snow cover, towards the gutter. Just before the just-above-freezing water reaches the gutter, it hits the unheated, cooler portion of the roof, usually under snow as well, and freezes there.

Eventually, this will "dam up" and some water may make it over this dam, until it engulfs the gutter and forms iciales.

[Stormin Mormonn]

In any case, the answer remains. More insullation in the attic, and more venting under the eaves, to keep the roof cold.

[Gary Slusser]

"Stormin Mormonn" wrote

I don't know what type gutters you have that a dam can form that's high enough to cause water to overflow them and run down their 3-4" (high) sides but when mine overflow, you should bet something (Maple tree seed pods) is blocking the outlet and it/they need cleaning.

Note the part about the WATER overflowing the side of the gutter; the side beinf away from the house and this happens from about 12-14' away from the gutter downspout. And if I had say a 1/2" high dam at the gutter downspout connection, you're telling me the water won't dam up and overflow the dam.... I think you need to rethink this theory. Or come over to my house and I'll show you how it works when the gutters are clean at the downspout connection to the gutter and how it oveflows the gutter when it's blocked.

Also, there are no icicels over the gutter, only those hanging on to the outside of the gutter with water running off them, 'splain that away if you can.

[HA HA Budys Here]

Your gutters could be clean as a whistle, if the ambient temp is below freezing, and there's 32 degree water slowly trickling off your roof into the gutter, (either due to escaping heat or sunshine) it can and will freeze there, especially after sunset it seems.

I didn't mean to say a dam builds up on top of the gutter.

[Gary Slusser]

"HA HA Budys Here" wrote

I've not addressed the reason for the water coming off the roof, only the overflowing gutter.

Anyway, I thought I was replying to SN but.... I've lived in central PA and in upstate NY and currently ten years in this house in central PA and I'm

1. I've cleaned many a gutter and lived through some really cold snowy and freezing rain type weather. This is the first year any of my gutters have overflowed with ice hanging off the outside. This is also the frst year I haven't climber my old shaky 35 YO wooden step ladder to get up there to clean out the Maple tree seed pod whirleygig things by hand and only blew them out (twice) with the leaf blower gutter attachment. Which I've used twice a year for ten years anyway. So since nothing else here has changed, I go with a blocked downspout allowing water to pool and overflow the gutter as this same gutter does in thunderstorms when I haven't cleaned the seed pods and/or leaves out of the screen catcher shoved down into the downspout inlet..