Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I'm looking for something that would be good for doing our roof. obviously the big 2 stage Toro won't be able to do it and would be a PITA to get up a ladder or out a window.

We have a new roof so I don't want to hurt the roof but the snow is really built up out there and it tends to melt very slowly. We are heading into Feb and lots more snow so I need something light enough and easy to manuever to use up there. The roof is pretty steep and in one section windows are mounted in the roof so that area might not be possible. They want a fortune to clear it and only the lesser section so I need something. Electric would probably be ok but it has to have enough power and the roof is pretty steep and high.

Any ideas?

Shryp wrote:

I saw that same video clip - it was Yellowstone and the guy knew what he was doing. He had it down to a science in the way to carve runways that would allow most of the snow to fall off on its own.

Steve_Cebu: For the one time it will probably need to be done, it might be worth hiring the job out. Last thing you want to do is take a fall off the roof and become incapacitated.

Shryp wrote:
I was thinking of the same thing. 

I haven't tried one of these but it seems pretty ingenious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNm5h03LV2A&feature=related

How about my lovely wife Cathy pointing out the bad spots.

The thing is the snow up there is thick and will not come down without a fight. I spent 45 minutes up there and was able to clear a 6 foot wide section! This stuff doesn't just slide down and it's WAY up there. In the back if you fell off the lower section you'd probably only break your legs. The higher section well ..... it would probably be fatal. It's actually a huge roof and it's also a 2 part roof. It's pretty scary in the summer, it's terrifying in the winter!

I was kicking off the icles that built up from Roof 1 going to roof 2 and a huge chuck broke off and crashed onto my legs, it probably weighed over 100 lbs. Thankfully it only fell like 14" or so.

There is no way to shovel it it just sticks like glue to the roof. That's why I figure some kind of power shovel. The local guy wants $300 just to do the lower section of the roof which isn't all that big. The bigger section is easily 3-4 times the size.

Thanks for the suggestions.

What to do.... What to do.....

I'd definitely hire it out if it's that nasty. Why risk life and limb to clean a roof. Does it really need to be done? Are you in fear of the roof collapsing?

Being on the roof you do not want to use something that could cause you to lose your balance.  Any electric shovel that will move a decent amount of snow will be unwieldy on a roof.  If the temperature is above 20F, you can try a power washer on the lowest pressure setting.  The tap water should be about 50 degrees coming out of the ground and will melt the snow along with the force of the power washer.  Obviously, you need the keep the area around you feet ice free and always wash down the roof to avoid pushing water under the shingles.

DON"T DO IT! Unless you have a flat roof.  if you need to remove excess sticky snow then use something like the snow razor with the poly sheet attached. It's there to allow even the stickyest snow slide down. Watch out for the falling snow.  It's heavy and moving fast and can knock you down. The snow that hits the ground will be like cement, so try to direct it away from areas you'll have to clean up afterwards.

GtWtNorth wrote:

Definitely not a flat roof. I saw that gadget but there is no way it would reach up as high as our roof.

The concern is we have a lot of snow and it's not going to come off until spring. We can probably handle a few more storms but a roof, any roof can only handle so much weight.

Still unsure what to do the guy wants too much to shovel half a roof.

Thanks for all the advice. We have decided to find someone who can do the roof safely. It's just too dangerous for me to get up there and do it. They all want serious money to clear the roof. Hopefully we will get better prices.

Thanks

Steve

  I use a snow rake on my slanted roofs.  

Steve_Cebu wrote:
Not sure what the building code is in your area but in central Canada I believe the roof has to be designed to hold at least 240 lbs. per square foot.   It takes a lot of snow to contribute that much weight.  

In the winter of 1995 to 1996, we had record breaking snow accumulations.   My camp neighbour took a ride out to our camps to check his camp for snow load on the roof.   He said that eve with snow shoes on, he practically had to wade through the snow to get to the camps.   When he got there he said that he had though my camp had disappeared.   From his camp which east of my camp, he said the snow was continuous right from the roof to the ground.  He couldn't see any sign of the camp.  When he walked around to the west side of the camp, he could see about one foot of the wall below the eves and the front of the camp which faces the lake, had snow right up to the top of the front window which is approx. 7 feet from ground level.   That was a huge amount of snow and the camp held up despite the fact that it's probably not built as well as homes built under Provincial building codes.   

By the way, you don't need to get all of the snow off of the roof.  If you can pull the snow off  past the half way point of the truss' span  you'll be relieving a lot of weight.  Of course, if you can get more off, the better.    I've never done it on my home, even for the winter of '95-'96 but I had my house built and was involved in building it.  So, I have confidence in it's structure.