Roof snow removal
You’re not sure about the amount of snow your roof can hold? This question comes up often. The article below will help you.
Read attentively, because too often we see roofs damaged by inappopriate roof snow removal or de-icing tools.
B.P. Roofing is a roof snow removal and de-icing professional and we serve the Vaudreuil-Dorion, St-Lazare, Hudson, Rigaud and West Island communities, as well as their surrounding communities.
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How much snow can your roof hold?
Here are a couple of facts on the amount snow accumulated of the roof to help you determine if you should have it removed or not.
If your area has received a sizeable quantity of snow and you’re not sure if you should remove it from your roof, don’t rush in there with a ladder and a shovel, but rather rush to the phone. Asking a professional to proceed to the removal of snow from your roof is by far the best solution.
When is it necessary?
“The determining factor to consider is not the quantity, but rather the weight of the snow”, says specialist Jon Eakes. This can be explained by the fact that wet snow is much heavier than fresh powder snow, which is lighter in consistency. 6 inches of wet snow has the same weight as 38 inches of light snow.
The good news is that the building Code demands that residential roofs be able to support the heaviest snowfalls that are predicted for the local region. According to Eakes, if your roof meets the norms, it can withstand more weight than what is put on it with regular snowfall.
It’s easy to tell if the snow is wet or powdery. All you need to do is lift up a couple shovels worth of it. Local weather forecasts should warn you if an excessive snowfall is coming, threatening the structural intergrity of your roof.
How to know if there’s a problem ?
Door openings that open towards an interior wall is a good way to tell if the weight of the snow on the roof is getting excessive. If doors rub against their frame, this means there’s so much snow that the weight of it is pushing on the central structure of the house, distorting the door frames.
Ignore doors going through exterior walls and check doors going through interior walls, such as the second floor bedroom doors, closets and the attic, at the center of the house. Pay special attention to cracks in the plaster around these door frames.
Houses that are the most susceptible to sagging are the ones that have been renovated without a permit. Removal of a bearing wall is usually the cause of a collapse.
The snow load seems excessive ?
Most residential roofs are hardly accessible, making the task dangerous for handymen. Eakes reminds us that the mere fact of climbing a ladder claims lives every year. Add snow and ice to the mix, and the risk is multiplied.
Why not instead call a professional in roof snow removal? Make sure this professional has a licence to do it and that he’s insured. This will filter out already a good number of amateurs.
Teams of professionals have the appropriate gear, such as robust ladder extensions, firmly-anchored harnesses as well as specially-designed tools to remove snow and ice. Prepare to pay between 250$ and 500$ for the removal of snow on your roof.
Don’t expect (and don’t ask) that your roof be completely cleared of snow, the purpose of the task being to remove the excess weight. The removal of the last layer of ice will unmistakenly cause irreparable damage to your roof.