NEWPORT — The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Department of Public Safety, and Department of Health are urging farm and home owners to diligently monitor their roofs and clear off snow if necessary and if it can be done so safely.
Rain and mixed precipitation forecast for parts of Vermont on Thursday night and Friday are expected to add weight to snow pack. That extra weight could add extra pressure to house and barn roofs, and in some cases cause a roof collapse.
If there is a concern for personal safety while clearing a roof, a professional contractor should be called in to inspect the roof, or to clear the roof of snow.
Guidance for what constitutes a safe load of snow on your roof is based on a number of factors and is not the same for every dwelling or structure. It depends on the age of the roof, the amount of snow on the roof, and the weight of that snow.
Strange noises, cracking, or visible movement of rafters should be signs that your roof is headed for a collapse. However, those signs won’t necessarily present themselves before a collapse.
The following steps are provided by Vermont Fire Safety and the Agency of Agriculture when dealing with roofs.
All of the mentioned actions should only be performed by able-bodied adults, as the snow is heavy, and roofs and other surfaces may be slippery. Protective headgear and eye protection is recommended.
Try to plan an escape route before you begin and keep safety the first priority.
If roof snow can be removed with the use of a snow rake (available at most hardware stores), do so. Use caution, as metal snow rakes conduct electricity if they come into contact with a power line. Also be careful not to let large amounts of snow fall on you.
Try to avoid working from ladders, as ladder rungs tend to ice up. Snow and ice collect on boot soles, and metal ladders.
On Barns:
When clearing snow from a roof, work to ensure an even unloading from both sides at a time. Always work in pairs and use a safety line when clearing steep pitched roofs.
The center of the rafters and the center of the building are the weak points. It is advised to keep some 4×4 or 6×6 poles on hand to place under every fourth rafter, or along the center of the roof line. This will provide additional strength to the roof.
