Let’s face it – we encounter pretty severe winter weather in most parts of the country at some point during the winter. Whether precipitation arrives in the form of snow, freezing rain, ice or all of the above, it’s important to know how to ease the weight on your roof to help prevent disaster from striking.
Signs of stress on a home can start small and quickly escalate. Heavy ice and snow can throw a building’s framing out of square, causing plaster to crack and doors to stick. Signs of trouble can include when doors aren’t opening or closing properly and ceilings are cracking or sagging. Water leaks or unusual creaking sounds are also cause for concern.
Hire a professional
When weather is at its worst, we likely hear the most about falls from heights while people are trying to clear snow from roofs. It’s important, as always, to keep your own safety top of mind. While it may be tempting to take matters into your own hands, it’s not worth the potential risk to you or your roof. There are professionals available who can safely remove snow and ice from your roof.
It’s important to monitor the situation and schedule a contractor in advance because you can’t just call a company in the middle of a late-night snowstorm expecting immediate service.
If you insist on doing it yourself, consider using an extendable snow rake that allows you to reach the roof from the ground without actually climbing on top. But, also be aware that you could easily be standing in the path of any heavy snow and ice that you pull from the roof using this method.
Issues can also arise when snow begins to melt and then freezes before it drips off the roof, causing leaks and damming. Several icicles hanging on a roof’s edge may be a sign of ice damming.
Remember that it’s not the depth of snow that’s the issue – it’s the density. Light, fluffy snow is not a problem for roofs – it’s the mix of water and snow that poses the greatest risk for collapse under its heavy weight.
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