If you live in an area that experiences snowy winters, snow removal is nothing new to you. You are likely used to clearing paths, driveways and cars from the snow that tends to build up after a good snowstorm. One area that many homeowners overlook is snow removal on their roof. This is something that shouldn’t be overlooked as it could cause damage to your roof and leave your home with water damage as a result. Nickerson Roofing is here to share some safe roof snow removal tips to help you stay safe in the process.
Roof Inspection to Determine Condition of Roofing System
You need to have a good understanding of your roof before you can effectively and safely remove snow from it. You should be familiar with the placement of vents, skylights and gutters. You also need to have a good understanding of the load bearing capacity of your roof. This will help you know if the roof can handle the snow that has piled up on top of it.
Stay on the Ground to Remove Snow from Roof if Possible
Anytime you get up on your roof, there is a significantly increased risk of injury. If it is at all possible, you should use a roof rake to remove any snow, while staying on the ground. You can also minimize the chance of shoveling when you add deicer to the eave.
Don’t Let Snow Pile Up on Roof
Rather than allowing numerous snowstorms pile up on top of your roof, you need to remove the snow after each storm. The problem with letting them pile up, is that some of the snow may start to melt from the previous storm and create an icy layer under the new snow. This can create ice dams and damage your roof. It can also make removing the snow hazardous for you.
Don’t Clear All the Snow from Your Roof
This may sound like a typo, but when you are removing the snow from your roof, you should leave about 2 inches up there. Your roof can easily handle holding two inches of snow and you won’t run the risk of damaging your roof by scraping with a roof rake or shovel.
How to Shovel Snow from Roof
You should always avoid using metal shovels, ice picks and other sharp objects to remove any snow or ice from your roof. The damage they can cause to your roof is going to be significant and very likely. Avoid water damage with a plastic shovel. It makes sense to remove any large drifts from your roof first to help even out the load on your roof. If you have a gabled roof, it works best to remove from the ridge first and then work towards the eaves.
Rooftop Snow Removal, Ice Dam Solutions, Roof Inspections & More in Truckee, Mystic, Olympic Valley, Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Ridgewood, Carnelian Bay, Kings Beach, Eder, Norden, Soda Springs & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California
If you are having a difficult time keeping up with a href=”http://www.nickersonroofingca.com/our-services/rooftop-snow-removal-prevention-reduce-snow-load-with-18-gauge-welded-steel-gutters-heated-gutter-guards-screens/”>snow removal from your roof, you can call on Nickerson Roofing to help you not only get rid of built up snow, but to come up with some prevention solutions to help you avoid the problem in the future. Call us today!
