Should I Rake My Roof

It will do no good will not cure ice dams is extremely hazardous and can harm asphalt shingles and in your case slate.

Should i rake my roof.

Heavy wet snow weighs up to 21 lbs per square foot whereas light fluffy snow can weigh just 3 lbs per square foot. Working on your roof is hard enough in the best conditions. Choose a roof rake with small rollers bumpers or wheels near the blade of the rake. Here are some things for you to consider to help you.

For the record a metal roof tends to shed water snow and ice better than a roof with asphalt shingles. Roof rakes cost between 60 and 180 depending on the type you use. A roof rake is not a rake as in what you d use in fall but rake refers to the pulling or raking process involved in pulling the snow off the roof versus a shovel which you push. By the time.

Rake a little snow each day. You don t have to get all the snow. One by 2 inch rake boards often cover the exposed top edge of the siding when there also is an eave overhang on the gable end. However you should make sure the ground isn t slippery and that you have the upper body strength to handle the rake and pull off the snow.

It s also difficult to use a roof rake to clear the snow out of your roof valleys because the rake is flat and the surface is angular. Well in a perfect world you d get out there with your roof rake every time you get any snow at all. That s not feasible for most people though. The most popular option is to use a snow rake.

Typical roofs can withstand up to 20 lbs of snow per square foot. Just the excess that threatens the load bearing capacity of the roof. Snowstorms in the southeast are more unusual but tend to be wetter. Never never use a roof rake or try to shovel snow off a slanted roof.

I ve always used 6 inches as the rule of thumb. If you do a little bit each day you won t have to worry about it accumulating. When the circumstances dictate removing snow from your roof roof collapse or ice dams should you get up there and do it yourself or call for professional help. You can buy a roof rake or make your own snow removal tool.

It helps to leave the bottom most layer of snow on the roof as this protects the shingles from damage by the snow rake. In addition roof raking often isn t particularly effective at removing wet heavy or hardened snow from your roof. Leave a few inches of snow on the roof and slide the rake over the snow. Now add ice snow wind and maybe some sleet to the situation.

Also over raking like over brushing your teeth may actually do harm in that you ll rub many of the granules off your shingles.