How to Keep Your Roof Clear of Snow

No matter if you're in the middle of a winter weather warning, or it's just the usual winter weather in your location, snow piling up is bad for your roof. As snow piles up, all that weight equates to structural stress, especially for buildings with flat roofs.

Even if your home has a roof with a substantial pitch, ice dams and clogged gutters can still prevent snow from sliding off. Heavy loads of wet snow can eventually lead to shingle damage, stress on load-bearing walls, expensive roof repair and even roof collapse.

Removing snow from your roof is a slippery undertaking. Rather than climbing a ladder in the cold or risking a dangerous fall from icy overhangs, we’ll teach you how to keep snow off your roof in the first place.

While most roofs are designed to hold up to 20 pounds per square foot according to modern building codes, older structures and those with flat roofs may struggle under the weight of even moderate snow accumulation.²

And not all snowstorms are created equal. On average, relatively dry snow weighs around 5 pounds a foot, while wet snow can tip the scales at more than 20 pounds per foot.³

To calculate the snow load on your roof, assume that every inch deep of snow equals 1.25 pounds. Your equation for determining snow load, S x 1.25 = P, is fairly straightforward math. S equals the depth in inches of the snow on your roof and P represents the pounds per square foot your roof is supporting.

Here’s an example. If a snowstorm just dumped about 9 inches of heavy snow on your roof, the equation to determine snow load is 9 x 1.25. That works out to be 11.25 pounds per square foot. According to our math in this example, your roof is probably doing just fine.

If you’re still unsure whether your roof is risking damage after a heavy snowfall, FEMA advises homeowners to look for these warning signs.^⁴

• Sagging ceiling tiles or boards
• Popping, cracking, and creaking noises
• Interior doors that can no longer be opened or closed
• Cracks in walls or masonry
• Severe roof leaks

Excessive snow accumulation can be the result of ice dams, unbalanced snow load, heavy snowfall or rain, or just simple roof geometry working against you.

Consider consulting with a contractor before next winter to determine what you can do to increase the pitch of your roof and ease the burden of heavy snowfall.

If you have too much snow on your roof, you’ll need the right tool for the job. If you have a pitched roof, you can use a long-handled rake to remove snow from your roof. But not just any rake will do. Look for a long-handled roof rake like the one below that’s specifically designed for the job.

For safety reasons, we recommend letting a professional remove snow from your roof for cases when a rake won’t cut it. This is especially critical if you have a flat roof that requires shoveling or heavy snowfall that needs a snowblower.

Roof snow removal services are less expensive than you might think—especially when you consider emergency costs for slipping and falling or the kind of damage your home could sustain if the roof collapses.

• December Home Maintenance Checklist
• January Home Maintenance Checklist
• Best Products to Keep Your Property Clear of Snow and Ice
• Home Safety Guide for Winter
• How to Protect Against Frozen Pipes in Your Home

1. Reference.com, “How Much Does A Cubic Foot of Ice Weigh,” April 5, 2020. Accessed November 2, 2022.
2. NASD, “Snow, Ice Raise Concerns About Excessive Roof Loads on Farm Buildings.” Accessed November 2, 2022.
3. USA Today, “How much snow is too much snow on your roof?” February 21 2015. Accessed November 2, 2022.
4. FEMA, “FEMA Snow Load Safety Guidance.” Accessed November 2, 2022.