How to Clean Snow off a Porch Roof
While a snow-capped porch roof may look like part of a winter wonderland, too much snow on any roof can weigh the roof down. If the roof is older or in need of repair, snow build-up can result in a collapse or partial collapse of the roof. To avoid a collapse, which is expensive to replace in addition to causing potential injury to friends and family, use tools designed for easy removal of snow from a roof. This will help keep your porch roof in shape, thus prolonging its life before repairs are required. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Roof rake
- Ladder
- Potassium chloride chunks/pellets
- Old pantyhose
Instructions
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Clear the area around your porch where you will be working with a shovel. This helps you avoid trudging through the snow while trying to remove the white stuff from your roof, soaking your clothes and generally wearing you out faster. Make a path so you can easily move around the perimeter of your porch with ease.
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Use a roof rake to remove the snow. These rakes are specifically designed for easy removal of snow from roofs. Perform this action from the ground or from a ladder. Start with the snow closest to the edge of the roof, which is the easiest to remove and will also allow snow that is higher up on the roof to melt and run off into the gutters if you are removing the snow on a warmer day. Removing snow from your porch roof also helps prevent ice dams from forming. Ice dams are areas where accumulation builds up and freezes your gutters, and can also result in roof leaks.
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Remove snow from the top of your roof by climbing onto your roof only if you can safely do so, and if you have someone to watch you in case of injuries. You can also throw potassium chloride chunks or tablets onto your roof to melt snow that you cannot reach from the ground or from a ladder with your snow rake. Simply throw some chunks into old pantyhose and throw them on your roof. They will then dissolve and melt the snow.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear thick leather gloves while using the snow rake. Gloves protect your hands from the cold and, and leather gloves are less susceptible to damage from the snow rake.
Purchase potassium chloride from hardware stores.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
