Safely Removing Snow From Roofs

Rent-A-Husband Kaile Warren Gives Tips To Prevent Costly Roof Repairs

(CBS)  If your winter weather is anything like the one in the Northeast, there's a good chance your roof has been bruied under a blanket of snow for some time.

Rent-a-Husband Kaile Warren gives some pointers on how to safely remove snow — preventing costly repairs.

Just North of Portland in Cumberland, Maine, a typical winter would last from early November into the end of March. During this time, snow accumulates on the roof, and Julie Jordan home is no different. It may melt, but it'll be there most of the time.

"You can see along the edge of your house right now [that] you have some ice dams that are forming," Warren explains to Jordan.

To remove the snow, Warren and Jordan have to use a ladder to get to the roof. Warren says over 500,000 people annually are hospitalized from ladder falls.

"It doesn't matter if it's winter time or summer time, you want to pick just one point of entry to get up on your roof," says Warren. "Make sure that you locate your point of entry at least a ladder's fall from power lines because you never want to get too close to power lines. The second thing is to make sure you locate your point of entry in the view of neighbors. That way, if you fall, they have a better chance of picking you up."

Warren explains that a four feet ladder should be extended one foot away from the building, and when you're putting a ladder up, make sure it extends approximately 36 inches or three rungs of distance above the point of entry onto the roof.

To best secure the ladder to your home, Warren recommends drilling pilot holes for eye hooks, which should be placed near the top and bottom of the ladder. Once in place, the eyehooks will anchor the ladder to your home with help of some bungee cords.

Once your ladder is secure, you can begin removing the snow from the roof. Warren says snow rakes are available at local home improvement stores. With the rake, pull loose snow downward off the roof. Never use the rake as a chisel and never use the rake near an overhead electrical line. Warren says to be sure to keep away from the falling snow and never extend too far from the sides of the ladder.

Because Jordan lives on a ranch, Warren says she doesn't have to climb on to a roof to remove snow. She can simply add an extension to a rake and do it from the ground.

For the best results, Warren suggests removing 3 to 6 feet of snow around the perimeter of the roof. And you should never use calcium chloride or salt on the roof.

"While it works great in clearing the driveway, the chemicals can damage your shingles and may void any warranty," explains Warren.