Alayne took this photo of me raking snow off the roof yesterday afternoon. I'm joking when I call this a "New England custom" -- I know this is done elsewhere -- but until we moved to New Hampshire, we'd never seen anyone do it, let alone had to do it ourselves. But it seems like most of Lancaster was out this past week using these "roof rakes" to lighten the snow load on their roofs.
If you haven't had the pleasure of doing this yourself, the rake is 18' (5.4 m) long and amazingly light -- though awkward. Given its length and the height you're reaching with it, you definitely get an upper body work-out. Of course, depending on the location of doors, you get a double work-out ... first by raking it off the roof and onto the ground, then by shoveling it away from the door. (The rakes are also a lot safer than climbing up on a roof with a snow shovel!)
Back at the ranch in Montana, with colder, longer and snowier winters, we never had to worry about too much snow on our various buildings because we always used metal roofs. After a few hours of sunshine, snow just starts sliding off a metal roof -- sometimes in small amounts, other times in big sheets that come down all at once with a sudden "whoosh!" In fact, we'd never build a new structure without using a metal roof -- not only does snow slide off, but they last much longer than shingle or other roof types, are virtually maintenance-free, and offer better fire protection from flying embers.
But the house here has a shingle roof, and the one problem area is this section which joins the two wings. Even though it's south facing, it manages to trap and hold more snow than the rest of the house's roof surfaces. I'd raked it last weekend for the first time, then we had another snowfall during the week, and with a forecast for 6-10 inches of heavy wet snowfall for last night, that meant getting out the roof rake and hitting it all over again yesterday.
Fortunately we only got the lower end of that amount of snow overnight, but I was out there this morning, raking it off again. The roof on the house is in good shape, so it won't need replacing for quite a while. That's the good news. The bad news is I'll be raking snow for years to come. When the time does arrive to replace it, the new roof will be ... metal!
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Hey Steve, Kathie in Vermont here. We have a metal seamed roof and normally the snow does just slide right off. However, with these back to back storms and the melt, freeze, melt, freeze, we have a build up of ice on the eaves which is stopped the snow from sliding off. The metal roof is good but not fool-proof. Even if we had a rake it wouldn't help with this mess! Good luck!
Posted by: Kathie Taylor & Lee Purcell | February 10, 2011 at 11:50 AM
OHMYGOSH....BE CAREFUL!!!
Posted by: Linda | February 07, 2011 at 10:24 PM
It never ends, does it? Guess you will never need a membership to a gym!!!
Posted by: Lisa K. - San Diego | February 07, 2011 at 01:36 PM
Here in the midwest we know all about the roof rakes. Ours has been used constantly this winter due to getting over 60 inches of snow so far. For those in warm weather areas, if we don't rake it, you get ice under the snow and it leaks into the ceiling. We can't wait for spring!
Posted by: Betsy (MN) | February 07, 2011 at 10:45 AM
I forgot about that rake. We had to use that in PA sometimes when we lived in the mountains. Out here in Nebraska the wind just blows it off. Be careful and oh that snow looks beautiful in a wood setting.
Posted by: Karen | February 07, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Roof rakes are handy gadgets, aren't they? Better yet is when you ask around your area and find someone who makes money on the side going around shoveling off roofs for people for so much money an hour. Saves your "wind" for other chores. Just trying to help LOL!!!
Posted by: Celia Allen | February 07, 2011 at 06:55 AM
I don't envy you that chore one bit. I looked at that picture and said to myself "boy, am I glad that I moved from the northeast to the south!"
Please, just be careful, we don't want to see you get hurt or dumped under a snow pile!
Posted by: Ann | February 07, 2011 at 01:40 AM
We've seen some metal roofs in SW Colorado. They sure do make a lot of sense. Hope you can get yours sooner than you now think--but not at an inconvenient time!
Posted by: Vicki Small | February 06, 2011 at 10:31 PM
Again, things we in Florida never have to think of. I find it so interesting when you write about the day to day stuff that goes on at RDR. You show not just the cute and loveable critters that we love but all the ins and outs and chores that are all part of the process. I do feel for your arms....roof raking then shoveling! Isnt that the door the dogs come out of momentarily to do their business??? Gotta shovel that one...ick! Spring will come and with it crocuses, daffodils and green grass. Soon. Hugs to Cinder.
Posted by: Anne in FL | February 06, 2011 at 07:32 PM
I'm looking for the snowman somewhere in the picture! LOL!!
Posted by: Leila - Washington | February 06, 2011 at 07:02 PM
I bet your arms are a bit sore...and heavy! Ouch!
That said, it seems one of those things you trade for the beauty of your great new spread.
It is beautiful out there...
Posted by: Glenda | February 06, 2011 at 05:01 PM
Just what you need ---ANOTHER CHORE!!!! This rake looks like what James uses to put up our Christmas lights on our big tree.
I hope a metal roof is a top priority in the near future.
Hey, maybe you can put out a work out video and uses the proceeds to buy a metal roof.
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | February 06, 2011 at 01:50 PM
I just read a story of a man somewhere in Ohio (I think) that was doing this and a huge portion of snow fell and buried him up to his neck! Only his head and one hand was above the snow. I think he was buried for a while before anyone heard him yelling. Please be careful and ask Alayne to check on you every few minutes. (stepping off my mother-hen box now) :-)
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | February 06, 2011 at 01:13 PM