Let the dripping and freezing commence.
When the snow builds up to a certain point on the rooftops of Syracuse and the sun does its thing during the winter days as January winds its way toward February and then night falls …
It’s icicle season.
They can get big and nasty and dangerous. They can do serious damage to your roof line, backing up underneath and flooding your house. Buckets can line your floors to catch the drips.
They call those nasties on the outside ice dams or ice floes. Roofers and/or homeowners put up special metal flashing at the edges to avoid them. We don’t have those on the Little Bitty. But I do own a snow rake, which I use to pull down excess snow when we get big storms or many storms without an extended melt to free the roof.
This winter’s lack of measurable snow through December and 30-some inches this month have kept the icicle situation at bay so far.
The sun has done its daytime job, and the night cool has frozen the drips. I’ve knocked some down in front with my shovel. But they’ve been kind of small.
A view from the kitchen.
They might even be considered kind of cute. I’ll call them mycicles.
Have you had to knock icicles hanging from your roof, and if so, what did you use for the job? What are the biggest icicles you’ve ever seen? Would you consider the extra metal flashing on your roof if you lived in a heavy snow zone?
Mark Bialczak 
When I was a boy we used to compete to see who could tear off the largest intact icicle. Then we’d have sword fights (if we could lift them with one arm).
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Oh, you kids, Scott! Only in upstate. 🙂 Congratulations on beating my Terps on Saturday night, you Spartan. Oh, those neon green uniforms, though.
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We were desperate for a win, Mark. It was a bad time to come for a visit.
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Thanks for the pick-me-up comment, Scott. You guys were certainly ready. Costello in particular.
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Yikes, those can be so dangerous! Sounds like you are on top of the situation and securing everyone’s safety there on the Little Bitty! We are clear so far and didn’t even get one snowflake from Jonas. Phew! 🙂
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I’m glad to hear you and Mr. B were spared by Jonas, Mrs. B. Yay for the Brickhousehold! 🙂 ❤
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What’s an icicle?
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Ha to my Texas friend, Kerbey. Think rogue Popsicle without any flavor. Yes, I tasted when I was a young ‘un.
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scary!
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On the noggin’, they are, Willow.
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Yes most definitely!!
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Did you get a whole whack of snow in a short period of time like NYC, Washington, Virginia? Hoping you guys are ok Mark. ❤
Diana xo
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We got no snow at all, thankfully this time, Diana. I’m wishing well for the folks south of us who got the heavy toll. ❤
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Oh, Mark, those pictures brought back some really bad memories! Knock on wood, after having the kitchen roof replaced a second time, all seems to finally be well. But then, we haven’t had a lot of snow yet this year, so only time will tell. (No rhyme intended.) At least, it appears that those icicles are hanging from your porch roof and not from the house roof. Good luck.
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Yes, these are merely on the side porch, our main entrance/exit from the Little Bitty as it leads to the driveway, CM. I knock them down when they get any bigger than these. And I knock them off the house with great vigilance. I hope your big (second) roof fix is permanent, my friend.
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Good Golly! Yet another Easrern homeowner hazard to worry about!
They are beautiful, though. In childhood, I loved them, to look at, and to break off and bite pieces off of.
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Yes, they are pretty, Babe. You’ll see again. Another reason the prices will be affordable for you back here to the east in the snow belt. 😉
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Good Golly! Yet another thing to worry about, moving East! Cheesh!
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I have experienced ice damage back up as the eaves in my old Ohio home were not 12-18 inches. As for the lake house… I tore down an Atrium due to ice damage. The new Sunroom eaves are 16 inches now and roof was built with ice melt technology. Stay warm… Nice in AZ!
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I love your new construction as you shared with great images last fall, Nancy. Great move putting ice melt technology on the sunroom roof this time around, my friend. As long as you were new-constructing anyway, might ‘swell … 😉 Glad you’re toasty in AZ.
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Give ’em a whack and break them up Terp! Gatorette
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Yes, they will be eliminated before they get too big to handle, Gatorette! These are just baby micicles in the winter scheme. ❤
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My friend in Brooklyn-Clinton Hills had one fall on her head yesterday, luckily she had a beanie on and her hood but it did slam her forearm! Got to watch out for them. They had near 30″ in NYC! Crazy?????? Gatorette
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That’s a paralyzing snowfall in the Big Apple, Cheryl. No place to push the snow! I’m glad your friend got it on the arm instead of the head, by the way. Wow.
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She told me just this am school is in session are you kidding me???? Queens has not had plow trucks through yet? I was watching Kelly and Michael Live this am to get the scoop! Crazy???????
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That’s pretty nuts, you are right, Gatorette!
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Can’t hold NYC back for long Terp!
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They look great but as you say they are dangerous too. Wouldn’t want an icicle landing on me!
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Rachel, it would really hurt. I know from bad experience. 😦
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i get these each winter, too. i generally knock them down with a shovel or broom, and move out of the way, fast!
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I have unfortunately been too slow at times, Beth, when knocking some down directly overhead! I hope you are always quick. ❤
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I don’t remember having such a problem with icicles so maybe we did have that metal flashing on my childhood home in Brooklyn. Dangerous for sure, but also pretty!
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I hope your parents were forward-thinkers back then, Marissa, keeping you from getting an icicle on the noggin’. They are pretty and pretty dangerous, upstate for sure. I bet down there after the big blizzard this weekend as well. 😦
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Well, I never did get hit by one. Not sure if it was precautionary measures or dumb luck!
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I am enjoying not experiencing the snow and ice this year probably way to much.
Lots of experience with ice damage to roofing in my past.
Great post. Stay warm and dry my friend.
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Good for you to be out of it for the winter, JoHanna. I’m always happy for those who can flee it. ❤
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We get enormous icicles hanging from our second story gutters- I usually open a window and knock them off with a broom!
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Good work, Lisa. Keep the roof and eaves safe, and those underneath. ❤
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This is my first winter after spending six years teaching in Taiwan. We’re moving into a house in a few weeks. I’ll have to see what the icicle situation is when we get there. Such a lovely reminder you’ve provided. 😉
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I’m glad to be a primer for house-living in winter, Deborah. 🙂
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