Snow Roof Rakes

They are light weight, have telescopic poles to enable very long reaches, and are much easier and safer to use than climbing up on your roof with a snow shovel.

Snow that is left on your roof will typically melt during the day and refreeze up during the night. This process causes ice dams to form at the eves of your roof. Over time the melting snow, or worse yet, a heavy rain storm, can cause water to back up under the roof shingles and seep into the home’s attic. Besides, causing water damage to the home it can also lead to rot and mildew forming on the plywood sheathing and roof rafters in the attic. Also, mold and mildew can be a dangerous situation for your family’s health and is expensive to remove.

A clear sign your home is experiencing the affects of ice damming is if you see water dripping in around the tops of your windows that reside on the eve sides of a roof. Also, if you observe water lines forming along a length of your finished drywall ceiling (e.g. along the drywall strapping), it is a sure bet that water is working its way under the shingles due to ice dams. A snow roof rake is an excellent tool for removing snow from your roof to help prevent ice dam build up, and to reduce the load strain on the roof. Water laden snow is extremely heavy and cause undue stress on your home’s roof.

This stress can lead to everything from minor cracks to form in your drywall ceilings and walls, to an outright roof collapse. Thus it is important to remove some of the snow from your home’s roof when there is more than half a foot of snow on it. Preferably you should try to remove several feet of snow from the edge of the roof as soon as the snow gets 6 inches deep.

You do not necessarily have to scrape the roof down to the bare shingle. As a matter of fact, it is best that you do not to ensure that you do not damage the roof shingles. Snow roof rakes are typically constructed out of light-weight aluminum and consequently are extremely easy to lift and maneuver. Many types of snow rakes have telescopic poles that can extend upwards of 24 feet or more in length. They also usually have a rubber edge cover to help prevent the roof rake from damaging the shingles. When using a snow rake be careful that you do not stand too close to the roof edge as you pull the snow off the roof. Falling snow is heavy, and icicles that break off from the roof edge could impale you if you are not careful.

Snow roof rakes are easy to use, and most of the time, do not require the use of a ladder. You can find snow roof rakes at most home improvement centers or hardware stores. Typically they are priced between $20 and $50 dollars.