What Do You Do To Get Ready for Winter? (Rochester: insurance, transfer) - Page 5 - City-Data Forum

maestramommy · 08-28-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WannaComeHome

lol! you have a hubby like that? I have a father who used to be like that, and so of course I had to marry a man very similar. But he knows what is beyond his means.

I can't say that anyone in my family ever raked (or hired someone) our roofs. Usually, the snow just slid off. Especially if it's pitched properly for NE winters. This forum was the first time I ever heard many people talking about it.

Dh would be glad to hear that. When I mentioned roof rakes that was the first time he ever heard of such a thing.

Thanks NHgirl, I guess we won't be buying a roof rake. OUr roofs are plenty steep.

Ken E · 08-28-2008, 08:38 PM

For the price of a rake, I'd rather have one and not need it than need it and not have it.

Valerie C · 08-28-2008, 09:57 PM

Steep roofs are great, however, when we have a heavy snowstorms week after week after week like we did last year, that puts an incredible amount of weight on your roof, especially if it's a heavy and wet snow. The freeze/thaw cycles will melt some layers and not others, and this can result in ice dams, which can result in mega damage inside your home (this is when you have water running down your interior walls) LOTS of people had this problem last year--if your roof develops an ice dam, that could require that *somebody* gets on a ladder and somehow breaks through that bottom layer of ice. I've seen people with blow dryers (yeah, ok...) and heat guns, and my own DH carefully wielded an AXE to get through the 6" of ice that formed at the base of our home. Not what I would recommend, but this went on all over NH last year (of course last year was QUITE a snowy winter... ) Long story short: get the rake. Use it often (even if just removing the bottom couple 6 feet of snow from the roof) It might be well worth it

Valerie C · 08-28-2008, 10:02 PM

Well, also, if you shoveled from the bottom up, you very well may remove some shingles along with the snow

Roofing shingles are laid starting at the bottom of the roof, and layering up toward the top of the pitch so that the water and rain will run downward on top of the shingles, and not run underneath the shingles... That's probably as clear as mud... time for me to sign off and get some sleep.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhampshiregirl

There's a definite method to the shoveling madness, too. Shovel from top to bottom so you always have something to hold you up.

newhampshiregirl · 08-29-2008, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valerie C

Steep roofs are great, however, when we have a heavy snowstorms week after week after week like we did last year, that puts an incredible amount of weight on your roof, especially if it's a heavy and wet snow. The freeze/thaw cycles will melt some layers and not others, and this can result in ice dams, which can result in mega damage inside your home (this is when you have water running down your interior walls) LOTS of people had this problem last year--if your roof develops an ice dam, that could require that *somebody* gets on a ladder and somehow breaks through that bottom layer of ice. I've seen people with blow dryers (yeah, ok...) and heat guns, and my own DH carefully wielded an AXE to get through the 6" of ice that formed at the base of our home. Not what I would recommend, but this went on all over NH last year (of course last year was QUITE a snowy winter... ) Long story short: get the rake. Use it often (even if just removing the bottom couple 6 feet of snow from the roof) It might be well worth it

Except the reality is the roof rake can't even make a dent in iced/compressed snow! A roof rake works if you have nice fluffy light snow (and then, what's the sense in removing it because it's light & fluffy!!!). Last winter was an anomaly and the problem was due to heavy snow over ice causing extreme weight loads. I nagged my frugal yankee husband go buy a roof rake because...well...because I was a victim of advertising & the media. The roof rake barely scraped the surface snow off our roof. He STILL had to get on the roof and shovel it off. And I should qualify shoveling. You don't want or need to shovel your roof bare. Just get as much of the weight off as you can. AND you need a good shovel. My dh's is used as much to shovel as it is to chop.

DH was hired to clear a neighbor's roof last winter. The owner insisted he use his newly-purchased roof rake. Once again, the roof rake was like using a feather duster to spread gravel. Once the owner left, dh shoveled/chopped the roof.

Let's put this in perspective. My folks have lived in NH for 70+ years (northern NH for 48 years) and last winter was the first time in those 48 years that they felt the need to have their roofs shoveled. I have lived in my home for over 20 years and last winter was the first time that my dh has had to shovel the ells (with flatter pitched roofs) multiple times. Usually he pushes off the snow on the north side once a winter.

If buying a roof rake gives you a sense of security, then certainly do it. I have one I would be willing to sell ya!

jthibodeau · 08-29-2008, 07:35 AM

Val, I've met some roofers who could use your advice!

One reason for ice dams is poor insulation and/or poor ventilation in the attic space.

Insulation slows the escape of heat from the heated zone below. No matter how much insulation you have in the attic or top ceiling line, there is always heat loss.

This heat loss, if prevented from exiting the building with the use of good ventilation, will warn the underside of the roof sheathing causing the snow in contact with the roof to melt. This melt will travel down the roof until it reaches the eve of the roof that over hang the homes wall. This area has no heat so the melt will refreeze. this refreezing will continue to build creating the ice dam. The ice dam will hold the melt back and, if allowed continue, will rise the level of the melt until it finds a way into the home through nail holes or over lapping materials such as tar paper once it's level is high enough.

And, the truth is, it amazing that some roofing contractor install a roof with no protection underneath. Just shingles over the plywood. The old excuse was/is "Oh, it causes the shingle to buckle".......ya right.....read the instrctions! Causes me to cringe because so many people have no idea when purchasing such a home.

maestramommy · 08-29-2008, 10:44 AM

Yup, jthibodeau, Dh said the same thing about poor insulation. When our house was inspected, attic insulation was one of the things ticked off.

Captjob · 08-29-2008, 05:02 PM

Anyone tried a flame thrower??

Captjob

GotBackHome · 08-29-2008, 08:14 PM

Jthibedeau (hey! I spelled it right

), my brother and father claim -well, mostly my brother- that we had trouble with ice dams on our house because my dad insisted on having gutters running the length of the house. So that held the snow and allowed ice to freeze and get under the shingles. Does that make sense? Brother seems to feel that we should only have had gutters maybe over the door.

jthibodeau · 08-30-2008, 07:48 AM

While I sit here smiling, I can say.....
Yes, it does make sense. Gutters aren't the best thing to have on a home during the winter months. They do tend to hold/freeze water and snow. They can become damaged due to the ice loads, as well as start water back up.

I tend to only recommend as few gutters as are necessary, such as over a set of steps. Usually opened on both ends.