The Safest Way to Remove Snow from Your Roof

A large part of protecting the investment you lot have made in your abode comes in the form of protecting your roof. Once winter hits, homeowners need to think about how to remove snow from this large surface. Just as at that place are dangers to letting snow accrue too securely or heavily on your rooftop, there are dangers involved in removing it.

When should you begin to remove snow from your roof, and what is the safest fashion to practise it?

When to remove snow

Many people subscribe to the stance that snowfall should never be allowed to accrue on a roof and should exist removed rapidly.  However, the problem with this arroyo is the risk of injury and/or roof damage. Therefore, the safest option is to remove snow only when absolutely necessary.

The first thing to consider is the amount of snow as compared to your roof's weight-bearing adequacy. Most newer buildings tin can carry loads of twoscore pounds (18.14 kg) per square foot, merely some older buildings are no longer upwards to this standard or never were to begin with. You should have action if your roof is carrying iv feet (1.ii meters) of dry snow, which weighs around seven pounds (3.17 kg) per cubic foot, or ii anxiety (.6 meters) of wet snow, which weighs about 12 to eighteen pounds (v.4 to 8.ii kg) per cubic foot. Otherwise, you are risking structural damage or a wintertime roof leak.

Next, consider the pitch of your roof. A steep-pitched roof volition more than easily shed snow and snow melt-off. A flat roof volition be far more likely to crave manual snow removal.

Finally, consider the climate and weather forecast. If you alive in an area with heavy snowfall and snow on your roof is already deep, don't look for the side by side tempest overload it. If the weather condition is set to warm upward a bit, this could crusade the snow to partially cook and class an ice dam at your roof's edge.

How to remove snowfall from your roof

First, here's how not to remove snowfall from a roof. Unless you are a professional roofer with the proper prophylactic equipment, do not proceed your roof and only shovel off the snow. The adventure of falling and of damaging your shingles is far likewise slap-up.

The best do-information technology-yourself method is to use a snow rake, a long, adaptable-length pole with a flat slice of aluminum attached to the finish at a 90ยบ angle. A snow rake will remove snow from the eaves and as far up the roof as you can reach with the rake, helping to preclude ice damming, one of the biggest bug caused by a snowy roof.

With your roof rake in hand, get a firm ground on the ground and work your manner around the house. Be conscientious non to clog up the gutters or downspouts with snow, and knock down any icicles dangling from the eaves. Remember to stand back from the roof's edge because snowfall can suddenly shift and fall on you if you are standing immediately below.

Tips for professionals

When you hire professionals to clear your roof of snowfall, be sure they follow these expert safety practices:

  • Practice NOT apply metal shovels, which can cause roof harm. Plastic shovels will protect the surface of your roof
  • Exercise NOT load up snow on the weaker sections of the roof, not even temporarily while removing it
  • Practice Non always drib snow over fire escapes or in front of a building'southward entry points
  • DO remove snow starting from the ridge and working down to the eaves
  • Do leave at to the lowest degree a couple inches of snowfall (instead of scraping the roof make clean) to minimize the run a risk of roof impairment
  • Practise focus on removing rooftop snow drifts beginning
  • DO use roof fall harnesses and all other OSHA-required condom equipment
  • DO review a design of the roof or inquire the homeowner (yous) near the location of whatever vents, skylights, or other projections
  • DO take a worker stationed below at all times to keep people from walking in areas where snowfall will be thrown off the roof or marker such areas well to give acceptable warning

The safest option is to remove snowfall from your roof only when absolutely necessary. When information technology must be removed, it's best to hire a professional service to remove snowfall from the entirety of your roof.  If you only need to clear off the eaves and desire to practice it yourself, use a snowfall rake.