Snow on the roof

At what point do you guys get a shovel and remove some snow from your home roof?

I would not be crawling up onto my roof. I would pick up one of the ones with a long pole and wheels on the rake side.

I’ve been wondering about this myself and am eagerly awaiting responses from those in the architecture/construction/roofing trades here. According to a 2010 WCCO article, code at the time dictated that MN roofs be able to hold at least 2 feet of snow. It mentions that roofs have to be built to withstand something like 35-40 pounds per square foot.

I took a quick glance after yesterday’s snow and I’d say it’s at about 1.5 feet now. Tonight I plan on brushing as much as I can off with a long push broom. I suppose anything helps.

I did mine this past weekend. I had drifts a good 2 ft. I bought Roof rake.

Also wondering. I’ll let EPG give me an answer…he should know!

I’d bet when people do respond you’ll get a multitude of answers. If everything is insulated and vented properly you shouldn’t really need to rake it until the total amount of snow is over a foot or more. If you are noticing ice dams and ice build up you may want to rake it but that could be another issue with not enough insulation then. The attic should be a “cold” zone in the house and escaping heat through poor insulation can be causing ice dams.

A properly engineered and constructed roof will hold 40#per square foot of load – depending on geographic location and local codes – So obvious a dry powder Vs wet heavy water content snow makes a difference.

For the midwest region, our snow commonly has about 15-25% water content. Doing the math, snow averages about 1 to 1.25 pounds per inch. So if you have 24″ of snow on your roof, your snow would be about 24 to 30#/sqft

DO NOT PLACE SALT ON YOUR ROOF TO MELT IT!!!!!!! And, don’t scrape the granuals off if you shovel/scrape it off. That will take years off your roof’s life

A roof rake is primarily used to get to the edges of the roof. This can be helpful to remove the snow on the edge, to reduce ice dams, on houses that have poor insulation. Removing this snow will do nothing to the overall load on the roof though, unless you climb up there and shovel it all off.

I am curious though, does anyone know of a roof collapsing because of snow? (other than the metrodome!)

I’ve been using a roof rake for 25 years. Depending on your style of house you can often remove half of the snow or better. I recommend the roof rakes with wheels. The plain metal ones are hard on your shingles.

Snow load can add up quickly on low pitch roofs. Engineered trusses can handle most of what Mom Nature can throw at it, older “hand framed” rafters, not so much. 24″ is a good rule of thumb to start thinking about removal. If you can’t clear the entire roof try to get at least 8 feet from the eave edge. This will help with preventing ice dams.
When you clear the snow off the roof, get it away from your foundation.
BE CAREFUL!!!

Ice dam season is upon us and it has the makings of a historical one.
An ounce of prevention……you know the rest.

lindyrig79 wrote:

I am curious though, does anyone know of a roof collapsing because of snow? (other than the metrodome!)

Yuuuuup.

Couple years back I get a phone call at work, from my parents, asking about my boat insurance… Because…uh… The machine shed collapsed.

Thanks Eelpoutguy. You did such a nice job on my roof I want to keep it that way.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
I am curious though, does anyone know of a roof collapsing because of snow? (other than the metrodome!)

Yuuuuup.

Couple years back I get a phone call at work, from my parents, asking about my boat insurance… Because…uh… The machine shed collapsed.

Shed roof and House roof are typically like comparing apples to oranges. or catfish to walleye

Typically a House requires Inspections for code compliance, a Shed – not so much.

I dont think I’d be worried until the really heavy wet snow came. But everything we have had is light powder. I’m no roofer but I’ve never had a issue either.

I rake the edges so the valleys and gutters don’t dam up but that’s it. I personally know many people who have been injured (several very serious) by going on the roof in the winter but I don’t know anyone who has had snow load collapse on a residential home. IMO that’s what insurance is for.

If the pipes on my roof get plugged with snow will me and the fw wake up?

When the vents on my roof get covered up, it starts to get warmer in the attic and that leads to ice dams. I clear off enough snow to open up those vents, that’s been my practice in this house for the last 35 years. The only valley I have is on the back of the house where it’s two stories high. I’m not going up there; I have a wire running up the valleys and through the gutters and down spouts all the way to ground level.

S.R.

The roof of the house usually doesn’t get that much snow, besides it’s a split foyer. It’s my garage I rake off. If I don’t I got dripping water on my driveway till July.

Alagnak Pete wrote:

I personally know many people who have been injured (several very serious) by going on the roof in the winter

In my previous home quite a few years ago I was on my roof begrudgingly because my wife insisted the roof was going to collapse. I was laid off that winter and the kids were at school and daycare (had to keep them in daycare 2 days a week to keep their spot). So I was all alone. When I got 3/4 of the way down the roof, the snow below me gave way and I slid off the roof like Clark Grizwald, landed on my ladder on the ground. The UPS delivery lady was next door delivering a package seen the whole thing. Freaked out and came running over. She thought I was dead. I told her I was ok, and just had the wind nocked out of me and needed to walk it off. Wife made me go in to doctor when she got home from work that night. Turns out I fractured 3 ribs from landing on the ladder.

never for me. no need if roof done right. ice and water under shingles 2 feet up from inner wall so let the ice build up if it has to. it will melt. dont go dead clearing snow.

MNdrifter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Alagnak Pete wrote:</div>
I personally know many people who have been injured (several very serious) by going on the roof in the winter

In my previous home quite a few years ago I was on my roof begrudgingly because my wife insisted the roof was going to collapse. I was laid off that winter and the kids were at school and daycare (had to keep them in daycare 2 days a week to keep their spot). So I was all alone. When I got 3/4 of the way down the roof, the snow below me gave way and I slid off the roof like Clark Grizwald, landed on my ladder on the ground. The UPS delivery lady was next door delivering a package seen the whole thing. Freaked out and came running over. She thought I was dead. I told her I was ok, and just had the wind nocked out of me and needed to walk it off. Wife made me go in to doctor when she got home from work that night. Turns out I fractured 3 ribs from landing on the ladder.

No Pics?
Seriously, leave it to the pro’s.

If you insist – screw in zip screws to the bottom of your boots.

in my opinion, leave the snow on your roof alone, when was the last time you heard or saw a pitched roof cave in? Yes maybe old garage or sheds, but that’s it. If you have leaking problems that’s different, be very careful remove snow from the eaves and valleys. I did this as a xtra job when I was a young guy. Lots of damage done to shingles doing this believe me, and if you fall?, no fishing this summer. 2 ft of snow on my roof right now, Walker, Mn area. Spring will come

Im a roofer in MN. I would venture to guess that on an average residential home, removing snow from the roof is 90% unnecessary. Unless it’s actually leaking, or leaked last year and hasn’t been fixed. Proper venting and insulation is very underated. Most of my reroofs need additional venting cut in. The general ice dam problem area will be the bottom 8 feet or so, as someone else mentioned. If you can reach it from the ground with a roof rake, go for it. I see alot of roofs that are beat to heck from homeowners shoveling, scraping, even chiseling ice and snow off. If it needs special attention, call a roofer. Most of us are on more snow covered roofs than we ever cared to be, or admit to….
Falling off a roof has never improved anyone’s health! Be careful!

Pray for me tonight.

#1834609
in my opinion, leave the snow on your roof alone, when was the last time you heard or saw a pitched roof cave in?

APRIL 15, 2018
2′ of wet snow hit north-east wi and there was wide spread collapses through out a couple of counties. It also screwed up the fox river at Depere for a few days

Not doubting your word, but rare. That’s why a guy has insurance. As a retired FF in Mpls, can’t tell you how many emergency’s we went on for taking headers off of roofs some winters

As if another reminder is needed to be careful, my friend and next door neighbor went up on his roof last month to clear snow, fell off, and didn’t survive. He was a general contractor and has been going up on roofs his whole life, so was no newbie. A person is taking a real risk to decide to go up there in the winter.

I do this carefully,, leaf blower..works great

catmando wrote:

I do this carefully,, leaf blower..works great

If applicable, add PVC pipe and an elbow to extend your range

As a younger guy we used to use our roof as a snow board ramp. What a blast those days were. Now I’d feel it for a week or better