It’s that time of year for most of us to think about removing the snow from our rooftops. It’s hard to leave the warm comfort of our homes, bundle up and rake or shovel the snow off of our roofs, but remember “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It is generally less expensive to hire someone to remove the snow than to replace the roof, insulation and interior walls due to snow and water damage.

Excessive snow usually over the 1 ½ foot mark, or snow covering your vents, needs to be removed. Ice dams also create havoc on your home by blocking the melting water from running off your roof and channeling the water under your shingles and refreezing.

If you are physically capable of removing the snow yourself, you have basically 2 options available, from the ground or from the roof. The snow rakes available today telescope 6-8 feet long, allowing you to reach much of the roof from the ground. If you need to be on the roof, wear boots that will not slip on the ladder or rooftop. Also be sure you and your ladder are secure to avoid slips and falls. Shovel or rake in the direction that the shingles lay so you do not damage them. You should leave an inch or so of snow on the roof for traction and to insure you aren’t damaging the shingles.

If you decide to hire someone to remove the snow, be sure they are insured and have references. It’s a good idea to make sure they know what they are doing so you don’t see pieces of your roof and shingles in your yard. Safety harnesses and ropes are good practices for yourself and your workers while up on the rooftop. Check online and your yellow pages for snow removal companies, and be sure to check their references.

So leave the comfort of your warm home for a few hours and spend the time or money to get the snow removed from your rooftop before it becomes a huge problem later.