I spent today removing snow and ice from a customers house to prevent water coming into the structure if we get a big rain on Tues.
We’ve had snow and very cold since New Years so many roofs haven’t loosened up their snow and ice accumulations.
This is a slate roof , but hipped and several bayed areas in addition to several dormers.
The gutters are integral with metal aprons – about 2′ of exposed metal
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You try to clean the snow off the roof surface along with the thin ice layer on the slates. The sun helps heat the black surface and runs some melted water down onto the metal to help loosen the thick ice layer in the gutters and on the aprons.
I use both the shot filled mallet and the short maul to hit and carefully chop to get the ice out.
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Didn't have enough temperature or time to finish, but I'll be back on Mon. before the rains start to get the rest off.
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Spent this afternoon getting more ice and snow off this home before it started to leak.
Hit one dam with a large gusher behind it - it had just started to come into the house.
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More of the huge deposits that needed to be removed so that water wouldn't be coming in with the next rain.
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I'll finish up with these last 4. One shows the brown staining on the wall in addition to some fresh droplets that were just coming thru.
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Sno-rakes aren't too prevalent here but with this last 20 inches that came ............####-can't remember-maybe end of december........and never left has just now started to cause problems. As long as it was cold-no problem. There's some guys here now that have expanded their workload taking care of these problems.
Got to hand it to you, not for me.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Cal,
Our business services ads in the back of our paper are loaded with folks trying to get work cleaning ice and snow off of roofs.
I only help out my regular customers. This gal didn't realize how screwed she would of been had there been rain today and she not of had it done.
Hey it's not glamorous , but somebody's got to do it !
Walter
hey walter wouldn't it be cheaper in the long run and definately easier to use the heat cables to keep the ice off?
It might , but the horse is already out of the barn on this caper !!!
Lots of folks report mixed success with heat cables. If you find you've still got problems once the heat tape is installed it's a real bit** to physically remove the snow and ice then.
Walter
you deal with the issue alot more than me so you should know. i was just wonderin.
Nice roof rake, Walter! I spent the weekend clearing roofs. too. I'm a little sore today. Mostly my shins from the ladder rungs. Some places lose enough heat through the roof to melt a lot of the snow. Those that are better insulated have quite an accumulation. It's pretty heavy. Some places are going to collapse if we get much more, especially wet stuff.An older place I was at today had ice from the roof to the ground in wide cascades, 10'long. Poor insulation not only cost in terms of energy, it's lack can cause major damage to your house. We've had some tough winters over the last few years, lots of damage from either ice or snow. I think we're still much better off than those in Kentucky and that area of the country but it ain't over yet.Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Nordvik Industries makes that rake. Used to be in Minn. , but they've moved.
I like it 'cause the large diameter handle is centered in the rake head. It can be used on edge to chop thinner ice and it will move a lot of snow. I've got to call and order a new head though -- a little too carried away on the chopping !!
We haven't had this many problems here near Bangor in a number of years. We averaged 7.8 degrees below normal for all of Jan.
Insulation is the dominant cause no doubt , along with design that doesn't allow easy dumping of the snow. How far down State are you ? I can't remember .
the ice is the symptom, you may want to start thinking about insulation and vapour barriers ...
Yes you're correct. This isn't my home -- it belongs to a customer and at present we're trying to eliminate back up problems.
Those issues can be addressed in warmer weather -- this has an urgency associated with it.
Walter
I feel your pain raking snow, I take care of a 90 unit condo development with ice dams like I've never seen before. I know this may be heresy, but have you ever used ice melt to loosen the ice dams up?
I had a roofer recommend this method of ice removal, along with a hammer and chisel.I wonder how much damage the ice melt will do to the aluminum gutters, let alone the chisels on the roofing.
I am developing arms like the hulk after raking this many roofs this year. At least it kept me busy doing something.
I am supposed to be heading up to Eagle Lake to do some ice fishing with a friend later this month. I have never ice fished before, and haven't really fished in 45 years or so I am looking forward to it.
Spring is just around the corner
Greg in Connecticut
Greg,
Yes I use ice melt sometimes , but when it's 8" + of solid ice at the eaves it's not gonna work enough to matter.
There are many methods that will work getting this sh** off the roofs , but like you pointed out - bull strength is a requirement of most of them !!
Good luck up at Eagle - I've never fished it. Hopefully it will warm up before long.
Best regards , Walter
What about the old trick of filling a stocking (or some other cloth tube) with salt and laying it across the dam?
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
I just suggested that to a lady I talked with this morning. That does work when the temps co-operate , but we've been 8 degrees below average for the moth of Jan. We averaged 10.1 degrees for the entire month.
When it hasn't been touched and there is a huge dam - that method might not be able to melt all the way down to form a place for future water to run out.
It varies by house too , if it's better insulated to begin with that approach might be just the ticket.
Walter
I would think that the approach should work most of the time if you get the stocking down BEFORE the ice begins to build up. Once you've already got a buildup then it likely takes cooperative temps for the thing to melt through before you begin to get damage inside.And of course you need one of these gizmos every 2-3 feet, I'd guess.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
I thought the pics looked like Maine. I need to get at my own roof as soon as I can. been down to Branch lake clearing roofs had to use snow shoes all last friday, turned out to be fun and got payed to boot. Gotta love Maine or just be crazy. Guess which I am.Carpentry and remodeling
Vic Vardamis
Bangor Me
Edited 2/3/2009 12:17 pm ET by dogboy
A tad bit pricy, however a hot power washing will do the trick. As many of you know slate can be rather easy to fracture. The roof cableing must be installed in a bit of a seemingly excessive fashion up around your parts,however it does indeed work fairly well. I have visited my great welder and he has in the past made me several custom snow monster rakes, they hold up so well they just disapear whenever any contractor friends of mine come accross them. I have used a Chain saw before but quickly saw the error of my ways when nearly sliping several times. Not to mention the posipility of coming a tad bit to close to the danger zone and coming against the roof inadvertantly.
If the ice is still solidly locked in place then I see a hot pressure washing as much more than pricey - it could be a disaster !!
A disaster? - the pressure being too high of course. Meerly to cut free the masses of ice.
Victor,
This has surely been a real Maine " Wintah" hasn't it??
How ' bout lunch at "Taste of India" on Friday? I'll buy .
Walter
Let me suggest an electric chain saw (short bar) for the ice. Works like a charm (think ice sculpture). If it's already backed up with water cut large V's to drain, and your NOT beating on the roof...........
Thanks for that tip. I bet that does work well in the right situation.