By Mark J. Donovan
Heavy snow left on your home’s roof can cause structural damage and water damage to your home if left unchecked. One of the best ways to get rid of snow off your home’s roof is to use a snow roof rake. They are light weight, have telescopic poles to enable very long reaches, and are much safer to use then climbing up on your roof with a snow shovel.
Snow that is left on your roof will typically melt during the day and refreeze up during the night. This process causes ice dams to form at the eves of your roof. Over time the melting snow, or worse yet a heavy rain storm, can cause water to back up under the shingles and cause water to seep into the home. Besides, causing water damage to the home it can also lead to rot and mildew forming on the plywood and roof rafters in the attic.
A clear sign your home is experiencing the affects of Ice damming is if you see water dripping in around the tops of your windows that reside on the eve sides of a roof. Also, if you all of a sudden see water lines running along a length of your finished ceiling, it is a sure sign that water is working its way under the shingles due to ice dams.
A snow roof rake is an excellent tool for removing snow from your roof to help reduce and prevent ice dam build up. Preferably you should try to remove several feet of snow from the edge of the roof as soon as the snow gets several inches deep. Snow roof rakes are made typically from aluminum and thus are extremely light weight. Many of them come with telescopic poles that can extend up to 20 to 24 feet in length. They also usually have a rubber covering on the blade edge to help prevent the roof rake from damaging the roof shingles.
Snow roof rakes are easy to use, and most of the time, do not require the use of a ladder. You can find snow roof rakes at most hardware stores or home improvement centers and can expect to pay between $20 to $50 dollars for one.
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