The rich snowfall this winter has made skiers and sledge riders very happy but created much concern for house owners. The temperature fluctuates a lot within a day and this makes the snow on the roofs especially unstable and dangerous. Snow threatens both roof structures, which may break under too much weight, and pedestrians in the streets, who may become buried under the snow falling from the roofs.
The responsibility of each home owner/manager is to clean snow and ice off their roofs and icicles from the eaves.
Snow and ice are the most dangerous in early spring when the snow on the roofs becomes watery and heavy. However, such a situation may occur also today, when the temperature fluctuation during a day is big – several degrees below zero during the night and above zero during the day.
The snow accumulates onto the roofs unevenly – more snow is in between small rooftops and on flat roofs.
House owners should constantly check the situation on their roofs and definitely reduce the snow burden if the layer reaches twenty centimetres. If the roof material has deformed under the snow, there is a direct threat to the roof structure and the snow has to be removed immediately.
Be sure to exercise caution when cleaning roofs. To call a company that has the respective experience and an access platform would be the best choice. If you do not have such an opportunity, you should climb the roof yourself but be sure to follow the following safety precautions:
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before starting to clean your roof, make sure that your activities do not endanger passers-by; circle the house with danger tape to make sure that the ice and snow from the roof do not injure anyone;
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if you can clean the roof without climbing it, e.g. with a snow rake or similar, choose this option;
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if you still have to climb the roof, use a ladder which has been properly fastened;
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use a harness which prevents you from falling down from the roof;
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start the cleaning process from the rooftop and move slowly downwards to the edge of the roof; and
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leave a thin layer of snow on the roof which does not become slippery in this way.
Heavy snow and frost may accumulate both on buildings and trees. In cold and foggy weather, frost is easy to form. It covers tree branches and makes them heavy. The adding snow may bend the branches and break them. This is especially dangerous if trees fall on power lines. In this case, you should not attempt to remove the trees or branches yourself. Instead, contact the company responsible for the power lines.