How To Remove Snow From Your Roof

Posted on Friday, November 4th, 2011

If you feel like you need to rake your roof of snow or ice, you should probably just have it inspected instead. A properly functioning roof and gutter system should be able to handle the snow and ice that has accumulated. If you see the roof bowing under pressure, hear loud noises, or have any sneaking suspicion that the roof might be weak, call a professional. Be especially careful with porch area roofs, they aren’t always professionally installed. A roof isn’t something worth getting hurt for.

The #1 Winter Roof Problem

Ice damns.

Ice damns occur when the edge of a roof is cold because it is blocked off by rotting soffit or carelessly laid ceiling insulation prevents proper ventilation. As snow melts midday, the melt water re-freezes before flowing off of your roof. Ice damns damage shingles, overhangs, and ceilings. If you notice that your bottom shingles are off kilter or wet spots at the edges of your ceiling, it could be a sign of ice damn damage.

The Things People Do Wrong

To prevent ice damns, people do crazy things. Some people climb up on their roofs to shovel the snow off. You can guess how that might end. Others try to melt the ice with a torch despite the fact that most roofing is highly flammable. The most common, innocent, thing people do to get ice off is to chisel it. Unfortunately, the things that crack ice will also happily crack your gutter.

So if you notice an ice damn on your roof and you feel compelled to shovel, remember that it is only a temporary fix to a long term problem. Shoveling or raking your roof isn’t a replacement for a properly functioning roof. Shoveling and raking aren’t worth the risk.

If you need to replace your soffit with soffit that won’t warp or rot overtime, feel free to contact us.

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