Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Even MORE of the same - sheesh!


We got about 8" of snow since yesterday afternoon. It's snowing right now. It's supposed to snow off and on all week. It's getting a little old. I'm getting a little old!

And check out the icicles. Monster, just monster. After I took this pic I tried to knock down as many as I could with a hoe. Hoe hoe hoe, boy that was fun - not.

I always get a big ice dam right next to the front door. The original builders designed it so that maybe 300 square feet of roof drain into a 16" length of gutter. (You can't even see the thing under that mass of ice.)

But this year has been the worse. I'm seriously considering taking down the gutter and let the rain/snow/etc just sluice off the edge of the roof. Trouble is, then the stoop might channel water toward the house. Again - decisions, decisions. But really, could it be any worse than this.

Anyway.... I've blown off the driveway, shoveled off the deck and even dug a path from the driveway almost to the front stoop, stopping right in front of the gas meter. A lot of work, but then, if I didn't have to take a meter reading today those icicles would still be there, turning into glaciers. *sigh*

Now where was I? Oh yeah. The comfy chair.... ahhhhh

5 comments:

  1. Good gravy those are some large icicles..be careful....they'll cut like glass won't they?

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  2. We're in the same predicument about ice Kris. The gutters are full of ice then snow piled on that above the gutters, so when the snow starts melting, we have water backing up under the shingles since the ice in the gutter blocks run off.

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  3. We took all gutters down some time ago. I decided we shouldn't be climbing ladders and cleaning them. The maple seeds would sprout
    there would be small maple trees growing in them before we would get them cleaned. So down they came.

    The house is built on a berm so water isn't an issue for us.

    I am surprised the weight of the ice hasn't ripped them off.

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  4. Darla - yep, you really gotta watch when knocking down any icicle, no matter the size. They can do some serious damage and can slice like blades. Even the blunt ones are like falling rocks! Luckily I escaped unscathed today. *knocking wood* Thanks for checking in -- I need lots of supervision. LOL

    Tammy - These are the deepest snows (and most persistent cold) since I've moved here 7 years ago. The snow never melts. The roof is deep and the ice is crazy. I often wonder if those gutter heating wires are of any use. Too late for this year though... but maybe for next? Hope you don't spring any leaks when the melt comes!

    Glenda - I'm surprised too, but I think the ice has so totally encased that gutter that it can't go anywhere until it melts. And I agree about cleaning the gutters. I did it for 6 years then last year I filled the them with garden netting - lets the water in and keeps almost all of the leaves out. I envy you your berm! :-D *sigh*

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  5. Bleah, I almost feel bad for being so happy about the 8 inches we got on Saturday, seeing what you have to go through lol.

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