Apparently, those who live in climates where it regularly freezes in the winter are at risk of death via icicle. It appears that larger icicles can break off of gutters and plunge into people's bodies, killing them coldly on contact.
A company called Gutterglove, which ironically is California-based, has a new add-on called the IceBreaker for its already advanced guttering systems. Using a self-regulated heated cable, the IceBreaker keeps water on the outside of the gutter just above freezing, meaning icicles don't form, fall off, and kill you and your loved ones as you build your snowman.
The cable fits Gutterglove's DIY install gutters, which already do things like collect rainwater for personal use; filter pine needles and seeds; and keep gutters clean so you don't have to. I wish we had this when I was 15.
All kidding aside, people actually do die every year from ice falling from man-made structures. It's not how I'd want to go, and it's not something I'd wish on anyone else, either. Were I a homeowner in a place frigid enough to warrant fears of chilly death from above, I'd definitely consider something like the Icebreaker gutter cables. But, living in Seattle, I only have to deal with mammoth quakes that will destroy my apartment building in my sleep.
