Unfortunately, winter isn't quite over yet. A growing concern for a lot of Michigan residents, especially after a few roof collapses this winter, has been ice loads on roof tops. Ice and snow tend to more commonly accumulate on low slope and flat roofs over porches or parts of a home that are next to a taller section of the house, especially during high winds.
Unless a roof structure is damaged or decayed, most residential roofs should be able to support about 20 lbs per square foot of snow before they become stressed. A way to estimate the load of ice and snow on your roof is by looking at the type of snow on the building. Ten to twelve inches of snow is equal to one inch of water, or about 5 lbs per square foot of roof space, so you could have up to 4 feet of new snow before the roof will generally become stressed.
3-5 inches of packed snow or snow that has been on the roof for several days is also equal to one inch of water, or about 5 lbs per square foot of roof space, so anything more than 2 ft. of old snow could be too much for your roof to handle. Two feet of old snow and two feet of new snow could weigh as much as 60 lbs per square foot of roof space, which is beyond the typical snow load capacity of most roofs.
For safe removal that will not endanger you or damage your roof, use a snow rake with a long extension arm that will allow you to remove the snow while standing on the ground. Never climb on your roof to measure the snow and ice thickness. You can purchase a roof rake starting for about $40 at your local hardware store. If you are unsure of the snow load on your roof it is recommended to consult with a snow removal contractor.
