Big snow, followed by heavy rain could spell roofing disaster

LACONIA — Some homes could be damaged when expected rain weighs down snow that accumulated on roofs in record amounts last week, Fire Chief Kirk Beattie said.

The National Weather Service is predicting rain, heavy at times, on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures topping out at 50 degrees.

Of particular concern are those roofs that are flat or have only a very shallow pitch.

Beattie advises people to consider using roof rakes to remove snow, or hire a contractor to do the work.

Some parts of the Lakes Region received more than 3 feet of snow last Thursday. The snow was remarkably dry when it fell, but since then, temperatures have edged above freezing, and the remaining snow has become heavy, wet and compacted.

“When you have wet, dense snow, then rain, roofs aren’t designed to take that much weight, period,” Beattie said Tuesday.

In 2008, more than 20 roofs collapsed throughout the Lakes Region when rain followed heavy snow.

Building codes generally require roofs to be able to handle 20 pounds of weight per cubic foot. A load of wet snow could easily exceed that standard, and some roofs might not be up to code in the first place.

“Most sloped or angled roofs are going to disperse better, and the snow will melt and slide off,” Beattie said. “It’s the shallow-angled and flat roofs that cause the most trouble.

“Best practice is to remove the snow now off roofs especially when preparing for what is coming up this week — a lot of rain.”

Snow removal also decreases the chance that an ice dam could form and cause water to leak into the home. Whatever moisture that is left on roofs could turn to ice Friday night when the precipitation is forecast to end and the temperature is expected to drop to 18 degrees.

Beattie cautioned that personal safety must be foremost in mind whenever working with a roof.

“We want to stress that you have to do it safely,” he said. “It is a dangerous job to be up on a roof shoveling. If you’re not used to being in that type of environment, ladders can slip out. You can get hurt.

“If you’re not comfortable or in a position to do it safely, don’t do it. There are companies you can hire so you don’t get hurt.”

Many people choose to stay firmly planted on the ground and use long rakes that can be extended onto the roof.

There has been a run on this tool, said Nevin Cyr, manager of Cyr Lumber and Home Center in Tilton.

“We sold out of roof rakes pretty quickly after the snow storm,” Cyr said. “We try to keep up with the demand, but after a storm like that, a lot of people want to get the snow off.”

Meredith resident Tim Carter, a former contractor who offers do-it-yourself tips on his AsktheBuilder.com website, said one must be careful even when using a roof rake.

On Monday, he was on an 8-foot step ladder while wielding a 30-foot long roof rake. He lengthened his pole by borrowing additional sections from a neighbor.

“You have to make sure the roof snow goes on either side of the ladder and not on top of you,” he said. “But things can go wrong. You can start to chop and an avalanche happens.

“That’s why it’s so important to have a spotter there who has a shovel or two ready if the worst thing happens so they can dig you out.”

Three years ago, he was clearing off his front walk when he heard snow begin to slide off his roof. He quickly jumped to the side and still got buried up to his waist.

“If I had not jumped, I would be dead,” he said.