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Tips on Preventing Roof Collapse

Updated: Jul 27, 2022


With Winter approaching there a many things the home owner should consider with regards to preventative maintenance. One of the most overlooked items is the prevention of roof collapse due to accumulative snow. According to the National Research Council of Canada, the minimum snow load amount that a roof should be able to handle is 21 pounds per square foot (22 pounds if you live in Alberta). That’s about 2 to 2.5 feet of packed snow!


Preventing Roof Collapse


The best ways to prevent roof collapse is to keep the roof cleared of snow. Clearing snow can come with dangers however. Depending on your age and general fitness it is never advised to actually go on the roof to remove it manually. Many home owners opt for a telescopic roof rake as seen here

Utilizing a roof rake lets you safely remove the snow from the ground, be sure there are no people or animals around when removing the snow and ice.


Snow Removal for High Roofs


You may live in a 2 level of taller house. In this case you would be best to contact a commercial roof snow removal company. They will have to equipment and proper safety measures in place to get the job done safely.


Roof Damage due to Snow Overload


The above image is a worst case scenario of a roof collapse due to snow overload. Things to look for if your feel your roof may have too much snow on it:

  • sagging ceiling/tiles

  • bowed roof

  • jammed doors and windows

  • cracked walls

  • ice dam and icicles

Conclusion

Roof overload is an important preventive maintenance all home owners should partake in. As part of our complete home inspection package we look for signs of any previous damage caused by roof over load.


Midlandhomeinspection

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