Icicles forming on gutters can be a sign of ice dams, a buildup of ice that can cause damage to roofs and gutters.

Ice dams form when snow melts on a roof and refreezes at the edge, preventing water from draining properly.

If you've looked up at your roofline this winter and noticed icicles hanging from the eaves, you're probably spending more to heat your home than you need to — and you may end up needing roof repairs.

Icicles and ice dams are caused when water freezes along gutters or downspouts from a mixture of temperature fluctuation and heat escaping from your home, according to the National Weather Service. Heat rising through your ceiling and attic to the underside of the roof melts accumulated snow and ice, which then refreezes after the water runs away from the heat source —

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