Experts Reassure Property Owners Afraid Of Snow-Related Roof Collapse

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The winter months pose all kinds of challenges. One this month is a lot of snow on your roof. Heavy snow can pile-up, leading to a dangerous collapse.

A quick glance could instill panic. There are snow drifts and jagged icicles atop nearly every home on one St. Paul street. But home inspector Milind Angolkar is not concerned.

"We're a long way from most properly-built homes collapsing," Angolkar said.

Despite appearances, most roofs are more than capable of dealing with this amount of snow. According to Structure Tech Home Inspections, most homes in the Twin Cities can handle around 35 pounds per square foot. So, even with all our recent snow, we're in the clear.

"With what we've had so far this year, if you've never removed snow yet, you're about at 15 pounds," Angolkar said.

Fifteen pounds, for now. As winter drags on, that number could change. And there are other factors to consider, like the shape of your roof.

"The less steep the pitch, the flatter it is, the more load is going to be transferred down to the frame below it," Angolkar said.

Tim Jachymowski, owner of PublicIndoorTennis.com, deals with roof concerns every winter because his business is a dome.

"February's been a real challenge," Jachymowski said.

The structural design is not strong enough to handle heavy snow, which is one of Minnesota's specialties.

"You want to catch it, you want the dome to be warm when the snow starts falling," Jachymowski said. "This February has been crazy. It's been a lot of work removing that snow. Fortunately, we haven't had any major problems, but it's just a lot of work."

A lot of work that comes to an end, when we swing into spring.

Structure Tech says one of the safest ways to clear your roof is to rake it. If you are worried about snow or ice dams, you can always call a professional to do it for you.