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Default Roof - snow removal

I have a two-story home with a metal roof. I bought the home three
years ago. Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? Any other alternatives?

Thanks!
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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:53:13 -0700 (PDT), BuckK
wrote:

I have a two-story home with a metal roof. I bought the home three
years ago. Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? Any other alternatives?

Thanks!


I doubt it, and even if they did it would be unmanageable. I have one
with 3 extensions totaling 20 feet, and it's a real workout to use,
especially if there's any wind at all.

If you're not having trouble with ice dams, just worried about snow
sliding off, have a roofer install the little brackets designed to
prevent the snow from sliding. I don't know what they are called, but
they are common around here on older houses with steep slate roofs
that are very prone to snow slides. It's common to see one or two
rows of the little brackets installed 2-3 feet from the roof's edge.
Don't know if they can be used on metal roofs, but worth asking.

HTH,

Paul F.



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Default Roof - snow removal

Blattus Slafaly wrote:
BuckK wrote:
I have a two-story home with a metal roof. I bought the home three
years ago. Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? Any other alternatives?

Thanks!


Damaged your chimney? How so? You need a stronger bulkhead and perhaps a
little building over it. You need to get the snow to start sliding off
the roof sooner while it's still soft. Why doesn't it? Maybe you need to
coat the metal roof with something slick. I assume it's not a modern
metal roof, those let the snow slide easily. The old galvanized/painted
ones can be too ruff and rusted. Or is it a slope problem, not enough
roof angel.

Can't see your house from here. What do you mean by bulkhead? A picture
with a link would help. A flat porch roof, maybe?
As to the chimney- if it isn't at the peak of the roof, it should have a
cricket uphill from it to divert snow and rain around it.

Best course of action may be a site survey by 2 or 3 professional
roofers in your area, that have metal roof experience. (Many do not.)
They know the local climate and codes, and hopefully know what works.
No, it won't be cheap, but steep roof work 50 feet off the ground is
generally not a good idea for DIY anyway. Stuff that can kill you is no
place to cut corners.

--
aem sends...
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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sep 20, 11:53*am, BuckK wrote:
I have a two-story home with a metal roof. *I bought the home three
years ago. *Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. *Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. *I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. *Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? *Any other alternatives?

Thanks!


If the snow is turning to ice, then you have heat. Therefore, the
solution is to better ventilate your room and keep the snow as snow.
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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sep 20, 5:32*pm, Pat wrote:
On Sep 20, 11:53*am, BuckK wrote:

I have a two-story home with a metal roof. *I bought the home three
years ago. *Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. *Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. *I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. *Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? *Any other alternatives?


Thanks!


If the snow is turning to ice, then you have heat. *Therefore, the
solution is to better ventilate your room and keep the snow as snow.


And insulate the sun?

The roof brackets another poster mentioned are called snowbirds or
snow guards. Here's one manufacturer's web site that has a nifty
little installation video. I've never used adhesive for attaching
them to a metal roof, but they have some pretty amazing adhesives out
there so I don't see why it wouldn't work.
http://snoblox-snojax.com/pages/snow...structions.php

R


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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sep 20, 11:53*am, BuckK wrote:
I have a two-story home with a metal roof. *I bought the home three
years ago. *Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. *Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. *I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. *Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? *Any other alternatives?

Thanks!


Thanks fo rthe relpies, let me try to clarify. I want the snow to
slide off the roof before it turns to ice. We have cathedral ceilings
with no chimney. I suspect heat is the culprit. The roof is only 5
years old, pretty steep, and and pretty smooth. I just need a way to
get the snow off after each storm.
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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sep 22, 7:49*pm, BuckK wrote:
On Sep 20, 11:53*am, BuckK wrote:

I have a two-story home with a metal roof. *I bought the home three
years ago. *Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. *Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. *I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. *Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? *Any other alternatives?


Thanks!


Thanks fo rthe relpies, let me try to clarify. *I want the snow to
slide off the roof before it turns to ice. *We have cathedral ceilings
with no chimney. *I suspect heat is the culprit. *The roof is only 5
years old, pretty steep, and and pretty smooth. *I just need a way to
get the snow off after each storm.


I don't know where you live but I live in the snow belt south of
Buffalo. We get snow. Lots and lots of snow.

Snow on a roof isn't a problem. In some ways it's a good thing.

Ice is a different problem. It can fall off and clunk you or
whatever. The solution isn't to get the snow off after every snow
storm (which around here might be twice a day) but to keep the snow
from turning into ice.

You have a cathedral ceiling so it's unlikely you have an attic. If
you do have an attic, get up in there and check your insulation. Make
sure there's enough air circulating to keep it cool (so no ice forms).

If you don't have an attic, you should have someone look at the roof
and make sure there is adequate/proper venting. If there was not
problem before the last roof went on, check to see what happened to
the venting.

Another option would be to install some sort of internal duct with a
fan to take hot air off the peak of the ceiling and bring it down to
floor level to recirculate it. That might keep your roof cooler.

As for a rake, I doubt it. At 50' there's an incredible amount of
leverage working against you. Picture a 5 lb item on a 50' boom.
First off, the boom would have to be pretty significant. Second off,
the leverage would make it so it would be really hard to lift.

The only possible solution I can think of is something like a chimney
cleaning broom where you can keep adding on 10' sections. That might
work poorly but might work. But a ridge vent is a better solution.
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Default Roof - snow removal

Pat wrote:
On Sep 22, 7:49 pm, BuckK wrote:
On Sep 20, 11:53 am, BuckK wrote:

I have a two-story home with a metal roof. I bought the home three
years ago. Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? Any other alternatives?
Thanks!

Thanks fo rthe relpies, let me try to clarify. I want the snow to
slide off the roof before it turns to ice. We have cathedral ceilings
with no chimney. I suspect heat is the culprit. The roof is only 5
years old, pretty steep, and and pretty smooth. I just need a way to
get the snow off after each storm.


I don't know where you live but I live in the snow belt south of
Buffalo. We get snow. Lots and lots of snow.

Snow on a roof isn't a problem. In some ways it's a good thing.

Ice is a different problem. It can fall off and clunk you or
whatever. The solution isn't to get the snow off after every snow
storm (which around here might be twice a day) but to keep the snow
from turning into ice.

You have a cathedral ceiling so it's unlikely you have an attic. If
you do have an attic, get up in there and check your insulation. Make
sure there's enough air circulating to keep it cool (so no ice forms).

If you don't have an attic, you should have someone look at the roof
and make sure there is adequate/proper venting. If there was not
problem before the last roof went on, check to see what happened to
the venting.

Another option would be to install some sort of internal duct with a
fan to take hot air off the peak of the ceiling and bring it down to
floor level to recirculate it. That might keep your roof cooler.

As for a rake, I doubt it. At 50' there's an incredible amount of
leverage working against you. Picture a 5 lb item on a 50' boom.
First off, the boom would have to be pretty significant. Second off,
the leverage would make it so it would be really hard to lift.

The only possible solution I can think of is something like a chimney
cleaning broom where you can keep adding on 10' sections. That might
work poorly but might work. But a ridge vent is a better solution.


Up in New England I have seen many houses with steep roofs that have
what look like small damns along the base of their roofs which I presume
stop large chunks of snow and/or ice from coming down as large chunks.

Lou
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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sep 23, 4:45*am, LouB wrote:
Pat wrote:
On Sep 22, 7:49 pm, BuckK wrote:
On Sep 20, 11:53 am, BuckK wrote:


I have a two-story home with a metal roof. *I bought the home three
years ago. *Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. *Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. *I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. *Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? *Any other alternatives?
Thanks!
Thanks fo rthe relpies, let me try to clarify. *I want the snow to
slide off the roof before it turns to ice. *We have cathedral ceilings
with no chimney. *I suspect heat is the culprit. *The roof is only 5
years old, pretty steep, and and pretty smooth. *I just need a way to
get the snow off after each storm.


I don't know where you live but I live in the snow belt south of
Buffalo. *We get snow. *Lots and lots of snow.


Snow on a roof isn't a problem. *In some ways it's a good thing.


Ice is a different problem. *It can fall off and clunk you or
whatever. *The solution isn't to get the snow off after every snow
storm (which around here might be twice a day) but to keep the snow
from turning into ice.


You have a cathedral ceiling so it's unlikely you have an attic. *If
you do have an attic, get up in there and check your insulation. *Make
sure there's enough air circulating to keep it cool (so no ice forms).


If you don't have an attic, you should have someone look at the roof
and make sure there is adequate/proper venting. *If there was not
problem before the last roof went on, check to see what happened to
the venting.


Another option would be to install some sort of internal duct with a
fan to take hot air off the peak of the ceiling and bring it down to
floor level to recirculate it. *That might keep your roof cooler.


As for a rake, I doubt it. *At 50' there's an incredible amount of
leverage working against you. *Picture a 5 lb item on a 50' boom.
First off, the boom would have to be pretty significant. *Second off,
the leverage would make it so it would be really hard to lift.


The only possible solution I can think of is something like a chimney
cleaning broom where you can keep adding on 10' sections. *That might
work poorly but might work. *But a ridge vent is a better solution.


Up in New England I have seen many houses with steep roofs that have
what look like small damns along the base of their roofs which I presume
stop large chunks of snow and/or ice from coming down as large chunks.

Lou


Exactly. Snow should come off the roof by itself and those things
keep it from coming down in sheets. This guy has the opposite
problem. He can't get it to come down. That means he has a roof
problem not a snow problem.
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Default Roof - snow removal

On Sep 23, 4:30*am, Pat wrote:
On Sep 23, 4:45*am, LouB wrote:





Pat wrote:
On Sep 22, 7:49 pm, BuckK wrote:
On Sep 20, 11:53 am, BuckK wrote:


I have a two-story home with a metal roof. *I bought the home three
years ago. *Every year ice builds up on the roof ans slowly slides
off. *Last year it became 6 inches thick and when it finally let go it
destroyed my metal bulkhead and damaged my chimney. *I'd like to
remove the snow before it turns to ice. *Is there a roof rake that
will reach the top of my house (the peak is almost 50 feet from the
ground)? *Any other alternatives?
Thanks!
Thanks fo rthe relpies, let me try to clarify. *I want the snow to
slide off the roof before it turns to ice. *We have cathedral ceilings
with no chimney. *I suspect heat is the culprit. *The roof is only 5
years old, pretty steep, and and pretty smooth. *I just need a way to
get the snow off after each storm.


I don't know where you live but I live in the snow belt south of
Buffalo. *We get snow. *Lots and lots of snow.


Snow on a roof isn't a problem. *In some ways it's a good thing.


Ice is a different problem. *It can fall off and clunk you or
whatever. *The solution isn't to get the snow off after every snow
storm (which around here might be twice a day) but to keep the snow
from turning into ice.


You have a cathedral ceiling so it's unlikely you have an attic. *If
you do have an attic, get up in there and check your insulation. *Make
sure there's enough air circulating to keep it cool (so no ice forms)..


If you don't have an attic, you should have someone look at the roof
and make sure there is adequate/proper venting. *If there was not
problem before the last roof went on, check to see what happened to
the venting.


Another option would be to install some sort of internal duct with a
fan to take hot air off the peak of the ceiling and bring it down to
floor level to recirculate it. *That might keep your roof cooler.


As for a rake, I doubt it. *At 50' there's an incredible amount of
leverage working against you. *Picture a 5 lb item on a 50' boom.
First off, the boom would have to be pretty significant. *Second off,
the leverage would make it so it would be really hard to lift.


The only possible solution I can think of is something like a chimney
cleaning broom where you can keep adding on 10' sections. *That might
work poorly but might work. *But a ridge vent is a better solution.


Up in New England I have seen many houses with steep roofs that have
what look like small damns along the base of their roofs which I presume
stop large chunks of snow and/or ice from coming down as large chunks.


Lou


Exactly. *Snow should come off the roof by itself and those things
keep it from coming down in sheets. *This guy has the opposite
problem. *He can't get it to come down. *That means he has a roof
problem not a snow problem.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Yep. That's another fun thing about cathedral ceilings - very hard to
properly insulate and ventilate. Some others: Most of your heat is
'up there', hard t clean. I wanted them when I did an addition until
I considered the downside of them.

Harry K
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