Winter leads to very cold weather. Your roof is likely to become very icy and the ice can cause damage to your roof if it isn't addressed. Fortunately, there are ways in which you can de-ice your roof. But you'll need to be careful because you can also accidentally damage your roof when attempting to de-ice it.
Don't Climb on Your Roof
Roof de-icing is something that you should not do yourself unless you have experience working on your roof. Climbing onto a roof can be very dangerous and it's even more so when it is icy and snowy on your roof. For this reason, professionals do not climb onto the roof and instead use a different approach.
Don't Use a Hammer or Shovel
It might seem like a convenient approach, but make sure to not use a hammer or a shovel to break off chunks of snow or ice. This will simply cause more damage to your roof. However, you can use a snow rake.
Do Use a Snow Rake
The snow rake is a type of shovel designed specifically for removing snow from your roof. Removing snow is important because snow will often melt and then refreeze, creating more problems with ice.
The snow rake is also able to remove crusted ice. It must not have solidified, however, and you should not use the snow rake to scrape hardened ice off of the roof. Also, when using the rake, it's important to stand on ground that is solid and is not slippery. Never try to remove the snow and ice when standing on a ladder.
Do Use an Ice Pick
Ice picks are also sometimes used to remove ice from a roof. However, you will have to use it carefully and you could accidentally fall when using an ice pick.
Do Use Heated Cables
If it hasn't snowed yet, you can prevent an ice dam from forming by placing special cables on the roof that are meant to heat and prevent melted snow and ice from creating ice dams.
Don't Use Deicer Chemicals That Will Damage Your Roof
Certain types of deicer chemicals can be very effective when removing ice from your roof. However, you will not want to use any type of deicer that will cause damage to your roof.
Do Have Your Roof Inspected
After winter, you will want to have your roof inspected by a professional roof repair contractor. The damage done to your roof might be more extensive than you might think. The sooner you have your roof repaired, the less damage will be done to your home as a whole.
Share9 December 2022
When it came time to install a new roof on my home, I had no idea where to start. In fact, I was exploring roofing options that were a really poor fit in my climate. It wasn't until I reached out to a local roofer that I got some lessons on how to choose the right roofing material for my home and the weather exposure it is subjected to. I built this site to share my journey, including the mistakes I made and the things that I learned along the way. If you are considering replacing your home's roof, I hope that the information here can help to guide you through the process.
