Snow Drifts!

Well, it is that time of the year, when one day it is a crisp morning and the next day you are shoveling snow from your roof. For those of you that love to play in the snow, I am happy for you. For those of us that would rather be boating at the lake on a warm day in July, our time is coming! The reality is that during winter there is snow. Snow can be fun, but it can also cause damage to your facility. I tend to get a little nervous when I see all of the drifted snow lying on a roof! Many times serious problems are just around the corner. So I wanted to share some helpful tips on the safest ways to remove the excess snow from your roof and protect your roof members.

• Visually inspect your roof system to identify any unusual deflections of beams or joists. If areas are found, start removing the snow at about one third of the depth at a time as to not cause an unbalanced loading condition on the roof members.

• The shoveling pattern should progress from each side of the building towards the center. On larger roofs, it is recommended that additional people work from the center of the building to the ends.

• Never use metal shovels to “scrape” the roof down to the surface. Remember, the objective is to relieve the excess loading condition due to the weight of the snow, not to completely clear the roof panel of all snow and ice. Attempting to scrape the roof may result in broken fasteners, tearing, fractures or holes which could create roof leaks. 

• Keep gutters, downspouts and roof drains open and free flowing to prevent water back-up and ice build-up on the roof.

• Always be watching for extreme deflections of the roof members and listen for unusual noises. When snow and ice build-up on your roof, it’s always a good idea to listen and to watch. Your building will speak to you!

Snow can be fun, but it can also be the cause of structural failures and water leaks. Give us a call; we can help in identifying unsafe conditions at your facility.