How to Take Icicles Off a House

Icicles are a common sight along roof edges in the wintertime. The icicles are formed by ice buildups, also known as ice dams. As snow falls on the roof, heat from the attic melts the underlying layer of snow. The water from the melting snow trickles down the roof and into the gutters. As the temperatures drop, the water refreezes. This becomes a continuous process, with the melting water refreezing as it drops over the roof edge, creating icicles. Icicles can be extremely large and sharp, and it is therefore quite dangerous to attempt to remove the icicles yourself. Creating an ice-melting solution for placement on the roof will help to melt the ice buildup around the clock.

Calcium chloride
Stockings

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a pair of stockings with calcium chloride ice-melting pellets by scooping a handful in at a time, tying each leg off every 4 inches to create separate pockets of the pellets. Tie the stockings at the waist.
- 2
  Use a ladder to access the roof and place the stockings 2 feet from the roof’s edge, just above the ice buildup. Place a pair of calcium chloride-filled stockings every 3 feet across the roof. Depending on the ice buildup, though, using a ladder can be dangerous. The alternative method is to simply toss the stockings onto the roof as close to the recommended placement as possible.
- 3
  Wait for the calcium chloride to break down the ice buildup and melt the icicles. Calcium chloride melts faster than other ice-melting solutions and withstands lower temperatures. When all of the ice has been melted and temperatures warm up again, use a ladder to access the roof and remove the stockings.

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