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A snowstorm last weekend dropped over 6 inches of fresh powder on my house. Nothing major in these parts. But the latest Winter forecast More will be needed in the coming days – at least a foot, perhaps as much as 18 inches, with extreme cold temperatures mixed in for good measure.
As a native New Englander, I’m prepared. We have shovels and sand and a man who comes to plow the long driveway. But what really catches my attention is the overhead. in winterI’m obsessed with my roof – and with a simple tool that has become an indispensable ally in keeping my home properly maintained during… Cold weather.
Rake my roof.
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There’s not much to look at. Sixteen feet of aluminum pole with a 22-inch-wide vertical blue plastic blade at one end. But it makes a big difference in preventing melted snow from turning into streams of water that leak into your home. This will damage walls, ceilings, light fixtures, and anything else that falls under the drip, drips, or drips. Over time, it can develop into a mold problem.
inside your home, Leak detection devices They are useful tools for all types of water accidents, but prevention is always the best policy.
If you live in an area that is in the path of snowy winter weather, pay attention to accumulations on your roof. On the one hand, snow on the roof is a positive thing. This indicates that you have adequate insulation in the roof and attic to prevent warm air from escaping, as well as adequate ventilation to help keep the roof cool.
But that snow will melt, creating water runoff that heads down into your eaves and gutters. And here the problem begins.
The winter of 2015 was brutal in Massachusetts, with nearly 90 inches of snow falling in less than a month. That year, ice dams won.
When that water reaches the edge of your roof, it becomes more vulnerable to cold temperatures and will freeze again, creating ice dams. These frozen clogs will build up and prevent the next waves of meltwater from harmlessly falling off your roof. Where does that water go? It is supported under your shingles and through the roof deck, following the new path of gravity into your living spaces.
I witnessed this leak. I repaired the damage. I vowed to never let that happen again.
That’s why I’m outside right after every snowfall, cleaning up.
There aren’t any really convincing technological solutions to this problem. nothing Rumba For your roof. Whole roof heating systems exist, but they cost thousands of dollars and are a significant construction project. Here in New England, it’s common to see homes with heating cable coiled along the bottom of the roof, just above the eaves. But for my home, even this more modest option would likely cost between $1,000 and $2,000 to install.
With any heating system, there will also be ongoing electricity costs and a potentially chaotic cycle of thawing and refreezing.
A rake on the roof will hold you back Less than $200. It’s low tech, and it works.
How to deal with a roof rake
I have been using my roof rake after every snow storm, even the small ones, for many snowy winters here in central Massachusetts.
I had to learn the hard way. Before I bought my roof rake, I was after the ice dams themselves, now that they were so thick, water was dripping, sometimes violently, into the house. I was out on a ladder, in the cold, hunting whales with an axe. Not the way to go.
This is me, cleaning the roof after a light, fresh snowfall.
A roof rake is much quicker and simpler – and again, a crucial ounce of prevention. You stand on the ground, reach up with the rake and gently pull a big shovelful of snow off the roof at a time. Take one or two steps and repeat the process. I’ll be walking around my house in about 20 minutes.
Well, it’s a light exercise for the arms and shoulders. The torch doesn’t weigh much, but it’s very heavy, and you’re holding your hand up, away from your body. When the snow is thick, wet, crusty, or all of the above, you’ll have to put in extra effort with each hit.
But if you’re familiar with the hard work of shoveling snow, you’ll welcome the change of pace.
How much snow should you demolish? The guides I read recommended removing up to 6 feet of eaves, and when I started scraping my roof, I used to go as far as I could reach. If I couldn’t reach the 6-foot mark, I was getting close.
Over time, I’ve found that only 1 to 2 feet is generally sufficient. This is the critical zone, immediately after the eaves, where freezing and ice dam buildup occur.
The guides also advise being lenient when scraping roof shingles so as not to damage them prematurely. I have to admit that I’m not squeamish – I usually just pull along the shingles themselves, rather than trying to leave a thin layer of snow – and that doesn’t seem to be a problem.
And for heaven’s sake, pay attention to where the power lines run into your home. You are waving a metal pole in the air, after all.
Remember to wear heavy gloves when you brush surfaces. The aluminum shaft becomes very cold to the touch.
What is the right roof rake to buy?
Like sheet presses, roof presses don’t have a lot of versatility. A normal surface rake It comes with four lengths of 4-foot aluminum shaft that you can thread end-to-end to get the full length, as well as a short blade attachment. (Mine has three 5-foot lengths, along with the blade piece.) The blade is approximately 17 to 24 inches wide.
The 16 feet is enough for my house, which is a raised ranch, even on the side where the ground slopes away, and I can only get the first foot or so of snow on the edge of the roof. If you have a taller house or really want to clear the way up, you can always get additional sections. The blade section on the pole tilts toward the ceiling, which is useful.
Some have pistons Small wheels At the bottom of the blade to avoid scraping the shingles directly. Seems like a smart design.
last surface pistons Not actually torchers at all. Instead of having a blade, the working end is open, with prongs holding one end of the plastic slide running parallel to the shaft. Instead of dragging, you push down on the snow, and the slide provides you with a smooth runway to fall to the ground. I’ve never tried one of these, but after spending enough time with a standard ceiling torch, I have my doubts. It seems to be best suited for powder.
Ceiling presses typically range in price from $50 to $60 and can reach around $200. Years ago, I purchased a very basic model, and it is still running strong – an excellent investment.
Gone are the days when I literally climbed onto my roof and tried shoveling as well as shoveling. In fairness, that was a Legendary winter. In 2015, New England experienced four major snowstorms in less than a month, dropping about 90 inches of snow during that short period. No one can keep up.
But without another “Snowmaggon,” I know my roof torch will continue to serve me well. When the blizzard subsides, the two of us will head outside to begin the mopping up process.