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Curious About Snowy Roofs

With all the talk about the dangers of snow on flat roofs, what about the snow on the roof of my home?  Should I worry or try to clear it off? - George, Danvers

George Delcared his Curiosity to WBZ-TV

If your roof has a decent slope you don't have much to worry about as far as it collapsing.  That's according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agencey (MEMA).  However... and there's always a however... if you have a porch or perhaps an addition where the roof doesn't have much of an angle, you should consider using a snow rake to clear off some of the snow buildup.

Rather than trying to condense a lot of information about clearing roofs, I suggest you take a look at this website which I found very helpful.  It's also written by a guy who lives in Duluth, Minnesota where they know a thing or two about snow.  Check this one out from MEMA, as well.  

One BIG note of warning... if you decide you need to clear snow off your roof, whether it's sloped or flat, consider hiring a roofer to do it because it can be extremely dangerous.  The biggest danger is falling, but you also have to be careful of power wires and you don't want to damage your shingles by doing it the wrong way.

Of course you still have to worry about a big problem plaguing a lot of us this winter... ice dams.  The real cure for those is to prevent them in the first place. Key points - insulate your attic floor and make sure the attic has proper ventilation. 

For those with big chunks of ice on your roof right now, it's too late for prevention. So what do you do if ice dams are causing you problems?  My favorite bit of advice has to do with panty hose and ice melter.   Find out about it here.  It might just help you get through the winter.

Here's another website I found helpful about ice dams... and one more here.

Again... roofs are nothing to fool around with especially in the winter.  So use great care.

Does anyone have any other advice?

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