Critical to every homeowner or renter in snow-prone areas is knowledge of how to safely remove snow from their roof during winter. This article looks at the best snow removal tools, and techniques and provides some safety tips
Snow is beautiful, isn’t it? But your roof does not feel that way, especially as every approaching autumn threatens heavy amounts of snow and ice dumps. This leaves your roof vulnerable to issues that cause roof damage and even structural collapse.
That is why it is important to remove snow from your roof before it becomes too heavy. Thankfully, owning the right roof snow removal tool is the first part of overcoming your worries. The second part is using your device correctly.
That is why in this article, we will take you through the best roof snow removal tools and the techniques and safety tips needed to use them properly.
We highly recommend before starting work on snow removal that you should read this article “Falls and Other Hazards to Workers Removing Snow from Rooftops and Other Elevated Surfaces” issued by https://www.osha.gov/ which can be read by clicking here.
Table of Contents
Best Roof Snow Removal Tools
Amazon offers a wide range of the best roof snow removal tools available on the market. Plus, the platform backs it up with top-notch customer service benefits when you choose them as your supplier, including the option of returning products you are not satisfied with.
1. SNOWPEELER Roof Snow Removal Tool
This snow removal tool makes it on top of the list due to its unique features and performance. You need to get this one if you live in a region that usually receives heavy amounts of snow. This product features a sizable rake head made with high-quality aluminum material.
It also comes with built-in braces to give you the stabilization you need. Weighing over 10 pounds, you can rely on this roof snow removal tool to do all the heavy work for you, which includes pulling down packed snow with no problem at all.
2. MinnSnowta Roof Razor Dynamo Roof Rake
Up next, we have the roof rake by Minnesota. A quick look at this unique roof rake tells that the manufacturers went the extra mile with its design and construction. But this roof rake offers more than just a unique appearance. It features a 24-feet pole made of high-quality tempered aluminum material, which is aircraft-grade.
But that is not all; this product is also customizable; it comes with blades designed purposely for slicing through packed snow with ease, as well as brackets that allow the split snow to slide effortlessly down a tarp sheet. Plus, the design also makes it perfect for reaching higher-pitched roofs. The pole’s length also means that it is easier to reach your roof’s top while standing on the ground.
3. Garant Yukon Poly Blade Snow Roof Rake – 24-Inch
The next product on our list is the Garant Yukon 24-Inch Poly Blade snow roof rake. This rake is one of the most affordable on our list. But that does not take anything away from the outstanding performance it offers. If you live in areas with heavy snow, you will really appreciate how effective this snow roof rake is. It features a 15-inch-long pole, making it easy to reach large areas of heavy snow deposits on your roof.
It also comes with a blade perfectly designed to ‘rake’ down snow pile-ups with ease. The Garant Yukon 24-Inch Poly Blade weighs 4.2 pounds, making it lightweight enough for easy use. It is easy to handle, lift, and maneuver.
You do not need to do too much to pull down snow accumulation in a single move. Its wide-angled head features a polyethylene blade that will not only clear heaps in a single draw but will also not damage the surface of your roof. Also, the pole features an anti-slip grip, which ensures that the stick does not slide out of your hands.
4. Avalanche Original 750 Snow Roof Rake
Moving on, we have the Avalanche Original snow roof rake. It is impossible to make a list of the best snow roof rakes without mentioning Avalanche. And this Original 750 with a slide material is perfect for removing heavy snow from your roof with ease. Avalanche is the original creator of the snow slide design, and the company continues to be the standard by which people measure the performance of other roof rakes.
The Avalanche Original snow roof rake is 16 feet long, making it reasonably easy to handle. It also comes with a wide blade measuring 17 inches – wide enough to get rid of huge amounts of snow deposits in a single move.
The rake also weighs merely ten pounds at its base, making it light enough for easy handling. Plus, its 3.0-inch wheels mean that this rake design is perfect for all standard asphalt shingle roofs. The wheels help ensure that your roof surfaces do not suffer any form of damage.
This snow roof rake is ranked as Amazon’s Choice and is you watch the video of it in operation you will see why. To watch the video click here.
5. Avalanche Snow Rake Deluxe 20
It only makes sense to make our final entry another top-quality product from Avalanche – this time, the Avalanche Snow Rake Deluxe 20. This roof snow rake features the good-old scoop style while maintaining some of the best features of the Original 500.
The length of the rake goes a few more feet past the Original 500. Its 20 feet length still makes it relatively easy to handle, but it maintains the same 1.5-inch wheels, which makes it perfect for protecting the surfaces of your roof.
Also, the Avalanche Snow Rake Deluxe 20 is quite easy to use. Its design means all the parts come together effortlessly so you can get to work in no time. Moreover, the whole product weighs only six pounds. That means it is one of the lightest roof snow removal tools you will ever find on the market.
How to Remove Snow from Your Roof: Snow Removal Techniques
Although we have gone through a list of the best roof snow removal tools, removal techniques come in various forms.
1. Using A Rake (OUR Recommended method)
Using a rake to remove snow deposits on roofs is probably the most popular method. That is because it is usually the safest and most effective method. Using the rake method is also arguably the most straightforward method. All it requires is your favorite roof snow removal rake with enough pole length to pull down snow collection from your roof.
However, before you use this method, ensure that your roof is strong enough, as you do not want to end up damaging certain sections of your roof. Also, make sure you do it as gently as possible, sticking to specific user guidelines where available.
If you cannot reach the roof directly from the ground, prop a ladder against the roof and fasten it to keep it stable. If you can access the roof from the ground, stand a couple of feet away from the roof to avoid being hit by falling snow.
Start by pulling off the snow from areas of the roof closest to you and work your way farther up. Also, rake smaller pieces than the rake can handle, as it is
2. The Shovel Technique
The shovel technique has been around for a while, but it is still one of the riskiest – even for those with a lot of experience. The reason is that using the shovel technique requires you to climb to your roof to be able to shovel the snow. Some people may find this technique less risky on flat roofs.
However, with safer roof snow removal tools around, the shovel technique may not be advisable, especially if you need to work on a sloping roof.
3. The Wire Technique
Many people refer to the wire technique as the wire-cutting snow method. It basically involves using a long piece of wire, wrapping it at the base, and pulling it off to get rid of the snow. This technique may work best if you have a pitched roof design. The wire technique is like the rope technique (which we look at next). The only difference is that the wire offers a bit more stiffness and durability than the rope.
The technique here is simple. First, find a piece of wire long enough to cover the targeted area, throw the middle section of the wire over the snow pile, and pull both ends of the wire to clear the snow. Repeat the process until your roof is light enough.
4. The Rope Technique
Finally, we have the rope technique. Like we said earlier, this technique is pretty much like using a wire. However, the wire tends to give a bit more control and stiffness compared to the rope. Believe it or not, using the rope is one of the most straightforward techniques.
Plus, all you need is a piece of solid rope lying around your home, and you are good to go. Just make sure the length makes it possible to cover large portions of your roof at a time.
Snow Removal Safety Tips
Although there are safer tools available than jumping onto your roof to shovel, there are so many safety precautions you first need to consider, especially if you are planning to do it for the first time. Even if you also have enough experience, there may be certain things you are doing wrong in terms of safety. So, here are some safety tips for rooftop snow removal.
1. Be Cautious Of The Weather
First, it is bad to remove snow when it is still snowing heavily – unless your roof is already under a lot of pressure. Otherwise, it is safer to go to work only when it is no longer snowing.’ Also, you need to arm yourself with the right protective gear, including warm clothes and thick gloves.
Not only will these keep you warm, but they also keep you safe from conditions like hypothermia, frostbite, and even cardiac arrest when lifting heavy snow. Be sure to keep your feet warm and steady with protective, anti-slip boots, even if you are climbing onto your roof.
2. Know The Condition Of Your Roof
If your roof is not strong enough, the last thing you want to do is get on top of it, as you may end up destroying it. Also, you can conduct a visual inspection of your roof to know which areas can hold up and which parts are more fragile.
Be sure that you know where your roof gutters, skylight, vents, etc., are all located, as this will help avoid causing any damage to them. Even before it begins to snow, take the time to find out how much load your roof can handle. That will guide you to detect when the snow weight is becoming too much.
3. Remain As Grounded As Possible
If you are using a rake long enough for you to work from the ground, that will be ideal. But ensure you are not too close to your roof, as the snow may hit you on its way down. If your roof rake is not long enough to work from the ground it is better a hire a professional as using a ladder for snow removal can be dangerous.
4. Do not Allow The Snow To Pile Too High
The more the snow piles up, the heavier it becomes, especially when it begins to harden. So, if the conditions outside are safe enough, try to clear the snow regularly.
Also, as layers continue to accumulate on your roof, you may end up with ice snow layers resting on solid ice layers, making them even more challenging to clear. Plus, heavier snow poses more danger to your roof.
5. Do not Remove All The Snow
According to experts, it is best not to remove all the snow from your roof. The reason is that trying to get every inch of the snow off your roof puts the latter at a higher risk of damage. Therefore, it is best to leave about 5cm or two inches of snow, even if you are using a ‘safe’ roof rake.
6. Lift With A Good Posture
Clearing snow is only one part; lifting the cleared snow is another. Lifting snow can always put your back and muscles at risk of injuries, especially if you combine the cold with poor posture. It is best to ensure that you always lift with a good posture.
For example, make sure your legs do most of the work when lifting from the ground and bend from your hips, not your back. Also, be sure to warm up adequately before you start and avoid tossing snow over your shoulder.
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