Roofing 101 - How To Safely Remove Snow

If you’ve read our piece on ‘How To Get Your Roof Winter Ready?’, you would know the 4 crucial steps to be taken when fall is still rolling into winter. While you’re gearing up to enjoy the magic of the season with your family and friends, it is important to address the care and the maintenance that your home requires, to keep the festive cogs running smoothly. 

Roofing in cold weather is always best left to the experts, however, there are small things you can do to get the process started. Here’s a quick recap of the steps to prepare your roof for the winter season. 

STEP 1: CLEAR YOUR GUTTERS

The first step is to ensure that you start with a clean slate. Go over the gutters, assess their state, and clear them out as required. Getting gutter screens or guards might be a minor expense but helps prevent clogged gutters. Basswood Roofing provides professional roofing insulation services, ice dam removal services, and snow removal services to help you prepare your roof for the winter. 

STEP 2: CLEAN YOUR ROOF

The debris, leaves, branches, and other scraps that might be sitting on the surface of your roof must also be cleared out. These often bring pools of moisture sitting atop your roof, which is exactly what you should avoid, ensuring the longevity of your roof’s life. Clear out the dry leaves and debris using a broom or a blower, followed by pressure washing the roof and gutters. Hiring professional roofers from Basswood Roofing ensures a thoroughly checked and cleaned roof, ready to face the perils of winter. 
At Basswood Roofing, we promise quality workmanship which means not only cleaning the roof from the outside but also thoroughly checking and cleaning the attic. This includes checking the underside to help in spotting any missing or broken shingles. Once snow and ice accumulate on the roof, it would be difficult to spot these problems and can become a costlier issue to resolve.
In the process of cleaning, clearing, and checking the roof thoroughly, it is important to note down any damage you notice and subsequently get it repaired immediately. Cold drafts can slip into the house through the tiny cracks and gaps and must be covered before the winter sets in. Insulation for cold weather is a crucial factor to trap the heat inside and keep your home warm during the winter. Make sure to seal the spots where light comes through when inspecting from the attic. 

Contact Basswood Roofing for professional consultation on roofing.

I’ve prepped my roof for the winter. What’s next?

While we are preparing for the magic that snow brings, we also understand the annoyance of constantly clearing said snow from roofs and driveways. It is difficult, tiring, and painstakingly time-consuming to do throughout the season. 


In areas and states that see heavy snowfall, it is a worrisome and difficult time of the year for a lot of homeowners, and understandably so. We’ve made it easy for you by jotting down these crucial points about dealing with snow in the winter months.

When should you remove the snow?


One of the most important factors about roofing during winters is knowing when to remove the accumulated snow. While the building code does dictate the quality and design of the roof, the key is to understand what the upper limit of the roof can be. An experienced professional will always design roofs incorporating the building codes. Roofs are constructed ensuring they can withstand massive weight brought by the snow. A light snowfall typically does little to damage your roof.


It is important to understand over here, that the weight of the snow would matter more than the depth. A simple internet search or stepping outside your house with a shovel can help you gauge the density of the snow. You can then take a call accordingly, on whether it is time to clear the snow off your roof, or not. Rake your roof after every 6 inches or so, of snowfall.

What tools can you use?


Roof rakes are the most commonly recommended tools by experts for snow removal from roofs during the winter months. Given that no ladders are required to scrape off the light snow, rakes should be your first choice. However, if the snow has already hardened and if the quantity seems very high, shovels are typically used. For those snowy days that never seem to end, ice melters are simple and easy solutions. Ice remover salts, which have been commonly known to be damaging for the roof and the surrounding- are now coming with re-designed formulations that work better and also are in favour of the environment.

At Basswood Roofing, we use ice melters from Green Ice Melt that safely melt the ice from your roofs, without leaving the roof or the environment damaged. On days when it has been heavily snowed in, it is always preferable to make use of professional snow removal services to ensure safety and complete snow and ice removal.

Roofing in cold weather can be a tricky process. Improper insulation of the roof and weather, damp roofs can lead to the formation of ice dams and ultimately a collapse of the roof. A roof check that is done by a professional before the winter season can help in identifying the gaps in roof insulation and mending it in time. Ice dams can be prevented by using ice melters (both ice melter salts and ice melter liquids). 


At Basswood Roofing, we offer roof snow removal services and commercial snow removal services throughout the season to make sure your festivities can go on unhindered and without any hitches. Ice melter salts and ice melter liquids are easy solutions with simple usage techniques that can be employed throughout the winter season. 


An important thing to remember is to never clear snow from roofs alone. A spotter must be there to help you in identifying where the snow is to be thrown, so you can watch out in case of hard clumps that can damage the people or objects below. Basswood Roofing provides expert roof insulation services, roof snow removal services, ice dam removal services, and other winter services using reliable, high-quality products as well as roofing professionals.


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