Huge icicles hanging from your gutters? That could be a sign of an ice dam, and that could create problems for your house.

Icicles dangling from the eaves of your home might look picturesque, but they’re often a warning sign of underlying issues.

And trying to knock down icicles can create its own risks. Using a ladder or climbing on the roof creates a risk of falling, Waters said. “Ladders are extremely dangerous because the ground is ...