You heard it here first! We’re predicting that despite the warm weather we’ve been having, there will be one more solid snowstorm before smooth sailing into summer weather. Spring snow means heavy snow, and heavy snow on your roof is bad for its overall health. We want to emphasize that we do not recommend that you take on this task yourself. We are trained professionals that have both the gear and the experience to do so safely, and we suggest that you contact us to remove the snow from your residence.
If you insist on doing it yourself, first and foremost, make sure the roof is safe to access. Confirm that there is no residual ice or frost that could cause a slip hazard. Setup your ladder correctly. To find the right angle for your ladder, lean it against the roof, and hold your arms out in front of you. The bottom of the ladder should touch your toes and your arms should be fully extended to achieve the correct angle based on your height. Check out safe ladder tips here.
Once you’re safely on the roof, you’ll see tiny rocks on your shingles; those are shingle granules and they are crucial to the life of your roof. Shingle granules help deflect the sun and maintain the integrity of the shingle. When shoveling snow off of your roof, shovel with a plastic shovel, not metal. If you have a roof rake handy, that will do the job even better, and may make it so that you don’t actually have to get on your roof. Generally, the recommendation is that you clear snow off of your roof after every six inches of snowfall to prevent ice dams.
Remember, we strongly suggest letting professionals handle this task. Especially if there’s snow on the roof, there are many risks involved with doing this yourself. Call us at 970-290-5393 to setup a snow removal appointment. Be safe out there!