How to Get Rid of Icicles From a House Roof

Position a ladder that is tall enough to reach your home’s roof along the side of your house. Clear away any snow or ice present on the ground near your ladder. Wear goggles to protect your eyes during your icicle removing project, and put on rubber-sole shoes to keep from slipping.

Climb the ladder and cut off as many icicles as possible using a saw. Saw each icicle in sections, starting from the top of each icicle and moving down to the bottom.

Shovel snow from your roof so that it does not melt and form more icicles. Fill a tube sock with ice melt, and position the sock vertically above any remaining icicles on your roof to allow them to melt away.

Create a drainage path on your roof using electrical wires so that icicle-forming water flows off your roof. To do this, apply a non-corrosive chemical de-icer to the area about 2 feet around your roof’s drain if you have a flat roof. Position electrical de-icing cables so that they lead from near the drain to each of the roof’s corners and around the perimeter of the roof.

Connect loops of electrical de-icing cables to a long board if you have a sloped roof. Tie a rope to this long board and toss it over the other side of the roof. Pull the board up beyond the area of the icicles, allowing the cable loops to hang slightly off of the roof’s edge so as to create drainage paths for the melting water on your roof.

Add ceiling insulation to the floor of your attic to reduce the attic temperature and prevent your home’s heat from escaping to the area of your attic near your roof. Check for leaks in any of your attic’s ductwork. Cover any leaking areas with mastic sealant or metal tape.