Experts: Clearing snowy roofs now can ease water worries later

The problem with snow on roofs is actually water.

When snow melts, it needs a place to go. If it can't drip into the gutter because of leaves, clogs or ice dams, melting snow will fall over the gutter line, forming an icicle, or drip through the roof into the attic below, say experts with Gutter Medics in Naperville and Champion Roofing in Bensenville.

Now that snow has fallen, it's too late to ensure gutters are clear and functioning this time around.

But Harry Friedman, owner of Champion Roofing, said a roof rake can help remove snow before it potentially causes problems with ice dams or leaky roofs.

"The key to successful roofing is to get the water off the roof as fast as you can," Friedman said. "That's what you're trying to achieve."

Roof rakes are available at home improvement stores or online for between $20 and $155. Common models extend between 17 and 25 feet. Even with that range, it might be necessary to climb onto a ladder, a step that requires caution, warns Georgia Hagan, office manager of Gutter Medics.

The company always sends out two-person crews when it responds to snow problems at homes, with one worker clearing snow 3 to 5 feet from the gutter line and the other holding the ladder. The service also involves forming channels in rooftop ice to allow melting and applying a melting agent to speed the process, Hagan said.

If temperatures rise before the next snow, Hagan suggests homeowners remove all debris from their gutters to decrease the likelihood of ice dams later in the season. Friedman recommends scheduling a roof inspection to ensure all protrusions such as skylights or chimneys are sealed tight.