Stores are out of roof rakes, and managers don’t know if or when more will arrive. That didn’t stop my husband from getting the job done. A little Yankee ingenuity and we were set to clear the roofs.
Being a lifelong resident of Maine (until 2 years ago), I am all too aware of the danger of leaks and roof collapses. The presence of snow and ice on a roof can cause roofs to bow or sag. The horizontal force of the extra weight can cause walls to buckle. Caught early enough, chances are that removing the weight will remove the sagging. In extreme cases, permanent damage occurs, such as a roof collapse. The heavier the snow, the more danger there is. Right now, Connecticut residents are dealing with heavy snow loads.
Patch has been reporting all week, of problems throughout the region, and I know that we are not exempt from the possibility of having our house develop a problem. We watched the news last night, and knew the only choice to make was to get up this morning and finishing cleaning up the mess the series of snowstorms has left behind. More snow, and a chance of rain, is headed our way.
Someone stopped in the street, while we were on the roof shoveling, and asked if we had a leak. I replied that we do not. The question was then posed as to why we were bothering to clean it off. My response was “We don’t want to find out the hard way, that it was too much weight for our structure to bear.”
Was it necessary? We don’t know. We worked all day. Even now, while I am writing this up, my husband is out putting tools and ladders away, under the street lights.We are tired and our muscles are sore. Was it worth it? Absolutely. When the snow and rain comes, as it surely will, we will have no worries.
What about you? Are you ready for the rain and snow that is being forecast? Are you worried when you watch the news and see the number of buildings collapsing? The good news is that there are still two decent days of weather ahead, which gives you plenty of time to get ready. And, don’t forget….a little duct tape and you can make your own roof rake!
This article was published in the Middletown Patch during the winter of 2011.
http://middletown-ct.patch.com/articles/taking-time-to-clear-off-the-roof
