For those of you in more temperate climates, “roof raking” is when one pulls several feet of snow off the edge of their roof. Contrary to your first hunch, the reason for roof raking has little to do with removing weight from the roof. Though that can be a secondary benefit if the rake is long enough.
The primary benefit is in the prevention of “ice dams.” Because heat escapes the house through the roof, even a well insulated house, the first several inches of snow right on the roof melt. Mostly during the day when there’s some additional help from the Sun. Even during the night, with enough snow and its insulating properties it is possible for snow to melt given enough heat in a house.
What then happens is exposed melting snow freezes and forms a dam either right at the gutter or at the edge of the roof line (some houses up here don’t have gutters). Once it freezes, it expands and in the worst case, the snow continues to melt further up the roof and feeds the dam. As the damn continues to form, the ice expands up under the shingles and eventually gets to the sheathing. Left alone long enough, the roof can be damaged to the point that it requires resheathing and reshingling. It’s also possible for gutters to collapse due the weight from the ice.
Those sorts of repairs are expensive, in case you’re wondering.
However, for a mere $40 a homeowner can obtain a roof rake. The rake is basically a “plow” style snow shovel reversed (so it plows when pulled instead of pushed) and attached to an expandable handle. Then, raking a roof is as simple as dropping the rake into the snow on the roof and pulling. Rinse, repeat. All the way down the roof line. Both sides. Times several hours, depending on how deep the snow up there is.
And sore shoulder muscles.
Very, sore, shoulder muscles.
I’m still enjoying this Winter, but roof raking is no fun. Did I mention that all that snow from the roof then has to go somewhere? Yep. That batch of snow gets moved twice. And it’s a lot heavier than the stuff already on the ground.
I’d rather rake leaves.
2 replies on “Roof Raking”
Time to get a metal roof !! … or a heated coil system to blanket the area for the winter snow season !!
I guess those heated coils systems aren’t too expensive- so they are a realistic option. That said, I wonder what they do to the electric bill. Plus, there’s little chance of myself climbing up there to install it, and I refuse to hire someone to install it when I’m perfectly capable of doing it.
The roof rake will suffice for now.