Clearing snow and ice from your roof helps prevent damage from ice dams and cave-ins. It also helps reduce the risk of water leaks into your home.
Shoveling a roof can be dangerous. It requires climbing over a high-rise structure and moving around in the cold.
Stay on the Ground
When a massive snowstorm hits, it’s natural to want to shovel your roof. However, knowing when it’s too much is essential, and how to do so without damaging your shingles or hurting yourself is necessary.
Shoveling from the ground using a roof rake is the safest option for most homeowners. It is also a great way to avoid ice damming.
If you do decide to climb onto the roof, make sure you use a ladder that is secured to your house. Staying clear of overhead power lines and icicles hanging from the eaves is also crucial.
It is also important to remember that any salt or chemical ice melt used on the roof can damage your shingles and may cause them to discolour. It could lead to a leaky roof in the future. Be sure to choose a rake that has a plastic edge to avoid scraping your shingles.
Keep Your Eyes Open
It is essential to keep your eyes open while shoveling roofs to make sure you are not causing damage to the ceiling or your home. Digging a lot of snow can cause your roof to have too much weight and collapse. It can cause water, wind, and other weather to enter your home, causing damage to ceilings, walls, and other areas inside your house.
Another big problem that can result from too much snow on a roof is ice dams. These large chunks of ice form when heat from the house warms part of the roof, causing it to melt. When this melted snow hits an area of the roof that does not have heat, it freezes, creating an ice dam.
Shoveling a roof too frequently can also rub off the tiny granules from the shingles. These granules help protect the shingles from sun damage and add fire resistance to the roofing system.
Keep Debris to a Minimum
While shoveling your driveway, sidewalk, and entryway is an excellent form of exercise (and counts as one of the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity each week), it’s important not to overdo it with your roof. Doing so can cause damage to shingles, the roofing system as a whole, and your roof’s integrity. Excessive accumulation of snow or ice on your roof can lead to leaks, cave-ins, and ice dams. It’s also crucial to remember that any metal tools or poles you use for removing snow should be carefully placed so they don’t hit overhead power lines. If they come in contact with these power lines, you could be killed. That is why a rake is often preferred over a shovel for a roof.
