To Roof Rake Or Not

With all of the snow we ve been getting a lot of people have huge drifts on their roofs which if left untreated leads to ice dams.

To roof rake or not.

It really depends upon how much damage the roof has. To roof rake or not to roof rake. The overhanging rake then is closed in with soffit and fascia or left open. A roof rake may be intricately designed.

A roof snow rake is like a 20 ft long aluminum hoe that homeowners us to lighten the structural load on their roof and to reduce the formation of an ice dam the only true solution to ice dams. Use a downward motion to pull off the snow but don t dig into the roof surface or scrape the roof as you move the rake. Most of the roofs we inspect typically can be repaired without the need to have the entire roof replaced. Take the roof rake tour and avoid.

Do rake your roof as routinely as possible preferably with a rake that has rollers or bumpers on the blade that keep the blade from directly touching your shingles a plastic or poly edged rake will also do. New roofs can support in excess of 40 pounds per square foot. It will do no good will not cure ice dams is extremely hazardous and can harm asphalt shingles and in your case slate. It is a term that describes the sloped sides of a gable end.

Never place the roof rake directly on the rooftop. If you have a high roof you ll obviously want a roof snow shovel with a longer reach. Posted on february 11 2019 posted by wschmit. Look for a long handle with a slight bend as it allows you to move the rake vertically as opposed to just pushing it back and forth with a straight handle.

Always keep it as close to the top of the snow pile as possible away from the surface. The rake is not exactly on the roof. One roof rake detail you need to check when looking for a roof snow removal rake is the rake length or reach. The rake can be flat with no overhang or it can overhang the gable end like an eave.

Never never use a roof rake or try to shovel snow off a slanted roof. Ice dams the melting and refreezing of snow can cause ice dams which allow water to become trapped on your roof with nowhere to drain but through your roofing into your home. Snow loading the average weight of 1 foot of compacted snow is 30 pounds.