Be careful – weather conditions form icicles on the roofs of houses

Be careful – weather conditions form icicles on the roofs of houses

When the air temperature approaches or rises above 0 degrees, snow accumulations and icicles on the roofs of sloping buildings pose a threat not only to human health but also to personal property.

According to Gintaras Arbačiauskas, a representative of Civinity Namai, one of the largest groups of building maintenance and engineering solutions in the Baltic States, a sloping tin roof remains a major risk factor.

“Although the icicles are supposed to be the prophets of spring, they are actually starting to form in the middle of winter. Snow and small pieces of ice accumulate along the roof and at its edges during the winter. As long as the air temperature is below 0, there is no major danger, but only when the thermometer columns rise does the snow on the roofs begin to melt and descend, thus endangering passers-by. However, I would name a sloping tin roof as a big risk factor, ”says Gintaras Arbačiauskas.

According to the representative of Civinity Namai, icicles and snow accumulations are formed due to several reasons, such as the absence of snow traps on the roof, uninsulated roof or attic or no heating of gutters.

Of course, the weather conditions, when it snows for more than 6 hours a day, also have an effect. or an average layer of fallen snow greater than 50 mm. The thaw begins when the air temperature becomes minus at night and rises above 0 degrees during the day. The sun’s rays also help to melt the accumulated snow.

Encourages looking around the street

A spokesman for Civinity Namai encourages them to walk around the buildings, look at their roofs and see if there are any icicles hanging over their heads.

“We recommend that all passers-by always raise their head and see if there is a icicle hanging over it. It is often the case that pedestrians relax and stop looking after dropping icicles or pieces of snow. However, be careful, the ice may fall again, and a icicle falling on the head may cause a fatal injury, ”says Gintaras Arbačiauskas.

The property owners and the security of their property should be taken care of primarily by the apartment owners themselves, as well as by the companies that manage apartment buildings or companies that provide maintenance and administration services for buildings. The icicles must be smashed and snow accumulated in places where dangerous landslides can occur.

Before carrying out this work, areas where there is a serious risk to the lives of passers-by or the property of the population must be fenced off with STOP warning strips. We do not recommend removing high-hanging icicles for the residents themselves, as this often requires special equipment.

“If the residents notice the formation of icicles, we urge you to report it immediately to the Civinity customer service center by calling 8 700 55188 and in no way try to remove them yourself. Pieces of ice can cause serious injury. We also do not recommend digging snow ourselves, this work must be done with extreme care, ”says a representative of Civinity Namai.

Upon receiving the report of icicles and snow accumulations from the residents, the administrator of the apartment building sends employees to remove the icicles as soon as possible. If the number of calls increases rapidly, multiple commands are sent to the jobs. The administrator asks to be vigilant and to walk as far away from the facade of the house as possible when outdoors.