Winter is here! The excitement of the first snowfall every year is always short-lived and replaced far too quickly with a question- how to remove snow safely from your roof?
As wonderful as snow is but shoveling it off from a large surface can be challenging. Just as there are risks of letting snow accumulate heavily on the roof, there are risks involved in removing it as well. To prevent any structural damage to your property it is very important to remove snow safely from the roof.
Here we are sharing some useful tips on how to remove snow safely from the roof.
Know when to remove snow
Most of the homeowners believe that snow should never be allowed to accumulate on a roof and should be removed immediately. However, the issue with this approach is that there is a risk of roof damage. Therefore, snow should be removed only when it is necessary.
According to the defined building codes, the residential rooftops are designed in such a manner that it can bear massive amount of snow weight. As long as there is light snowfall, your roof is probably safe from harm. Always remember the weight of the snow matters more than the depth of the snow. The dry and powdery snow as compared to wet snow, is lighter and is less likely to cause any damage to the roof.
Furthermore, take in consideration the pitch of your roof. A flat roof will require more manual snow removal as compared to a steep-pitched roof where snow can easily melt-off or shed. Finally, keep a check on the local weather forecast for snowfall in your area. If you live in an area where there is typically heavy snowfall and the snow accumulated on your roof is already deep, don’t wait for another storm to burden it further. In case the weather warms up a bit, this could lead to snow melt a bit and form ice dam at the edge of your roof.
Safe snow removal
It is always advisable to hire professional roofers to ensure that the snow is removed safely from your roof. However, if you want to do it yourself then keep the following things in mind-
- Do not use any kind of mechanical equipment as it may damage the roof membrane.
- Avoid pricks or sharp tools, use a plastic shovel instead of a metal one.
- Begin by removing the snow from the drifted snow parapets, elevation changes and then start removing from the center of the roof.
- Avoid unbalanced snow loading by removing snow in the direction of the main structural elements.
- In case of sloped and gable roofs, begin at the ridge and then move towards the eave.
- Do not stock pile snow in any area of your roof
- Ensure that there is nobody at the ground-level since falling snow can cause injuries.
- Stay at a safe distance from the eave to ensure that you are well outside the sliding range of snow.
- Make sure that you don’t damage the vent pipes, skylights, or other objects buried under the snow.
Hire snow removal experts
The most safest, convenient, and effective way to remove snow is to hire roofing professionals. Our experts at Allegiant Roofing provide snow removal services using professional equipments and tools and will ensure that the snow is removed safely from your rooftop without and damage or risk.
