Snow and winter weather causes a lot of inconvenience for homeowners. It sure looks pretty when snow covers the ground and your roof, but it can lead to some serious problems, especially when it comes to your roof. You won’t be able to completely avoid the need for roof repair in Salt Lake City, but you can do a lot to reduce your risk of damage by taking care of it in the winter when it snows.
Let’s start with why it’s important to remove snow from your roof.
Protect Your Whole Home
Snow is light and fluffy as it falls but gets heavy when it accumulates. The added weight on your roof can lead to structural damage, the worst-case scenario being roof collapse. That can damage your home and property and even injure you or your family.
Leaving snow on your roof can also allow ice dams to form. Ice dams can cause leaks, leading to water damage or mold and mildew growth. These issues aren’t just inconvenient to fix, they can put your family at risk for serious health concerns as well. Furthermore, ice and snow can slide off your roof—sometimes at great speed if your roof has a steep incline—which can damage your property or even injure someone.
It’s important to remove snow from your roof, but safety is paramount.
Safe Ways to Remove Snow
- Use a roof rake. A roof rake is a long-handled tool that you can use to scrape snow off your roof from the ground. You can only reach so far with a roof rake, and you do have to be careful not to damage your shingles or other parts of your roof. However, you can get a significant amount of snow down, which will reduce the risk of snow and ice damaging your roof.
- Apply roof de-icer. De-icing products melt ice and snow on your roof if you apply them before it snows. It’s similar to the treatments we apply to roads in anticipation of icy weather.
- Hire a pro. When it comes to any roof repair or maintenance issue, you always want to know your limits and never do anything you’re not confident you can do safely. A roofing contractor will have the equipment and expertise to remove snow from your roof safely.
