How Much Snow Should I Remove From My Roof

By removing this snow you are going to minimize risk of damage from ice building up called ice dams.

How much snow should i remove from my roof.

If you do call the professionals to come out to remove the snow be aware that they will not remove all of the snow off of your roof they just need to remove the excessive weight. Generally the steeper your roof angle the more snow it can hold e g. Roofs are generally built to withstand more than the expected snowfall in your area. Don t risk your life to save a few hundred dollars.

Just six inches of wet snow weighs as much as almost 40 inches of dry snow. Sometimes you need your roof snow removed by shoveling other times by roof raking. Professional snow removers have special safety equipment they use. Signs that your house be at risk from bearing the weight too much snow on the roof are.

You need to know the weight of it. In addition steeper roofs don t often collect as much snow in the first place. You can stand on the ground and use the tool with a pole extension to reach the edge of most two story homes. Regardless of your roof s condition remove drifts using a roof rake with an extension pole or hire a pro for the job.

However you should make sure the ground isn t slippery and that you have the upper body strength to handle the rake and pull off the snow. If you have ice dams however removing the snow is the good thing to do. This is extremely dangerous. How deep the snow on your roof is won t matter.

It depends largely on a how big your roof is and how tall your house is b how much snow your roof received and c whether the snow itself is powdery and light versus wet and heavy. Visible sagging in the roof that can be seen from inside the home or in the attic as well as being seen from outside on the ground. When should i remove snow from my roof. If you have never had issues with ice dams on your roof and your primary concern is the additional weight on your.

Our snow load calculator helps you to make the decision when to remove the snow from your roof by comparing the weight of snow with the load carrying capacity of the roof. Removing snow from your roof after every 6 inches of snow is a good standard to follow. The safest way a homeowner can remove snow from a roof is with a roof rake. Do not walk on your roof to remove snow.

Take care not to damage flashing or shingles. Use a roof rake or hire someone to do it professionally. A 10 12 or 12 12 pitch roof handles more snow than a flat roof. The goal isn t to clear every.