Warm Temps Could Mean Problems For Roofs


On February 4, 2011, after a winter storm blanketed the town of Canton in snow, the roof collapses on a barn belonging to Andy and Sandy Morrison. Nobody was hurt, but the damage was a blow to the Morrisons.

Now, after as much as five feet of snow blankets parts of Jefferson and Lewis counties and with temperatures expected to increase soon with rain in the forecast, there's a concern.

"We're advising farms right now to be checking how much snow do you have drifted that you haven't noticed yet," said Jay Matteson.

"That does happen," he said, "and if you do have heavy snow loads, what's the load capacity on your barn."

Farmers aren't the only people who should worry. It's also important for homes and other buildings. It's a simple step that could prevent damages and save you from having to pay to fix them.

"Nobody wants weight on their roofs," said Tim Wise of White's Lumber in Watertown. "It leads to leaks and just roof damage in general."

Roof rakes are a hot commodity at White's. Think of them as $40 insurance policies to prevent damage. It's estimated that a cubic foot of wet snow can weigh up to 20 pounds.

With feet of snow on some north country roofs, people are on alert.

"People are just starting to buy them," Wise said. "I anticipate we'll probably be sold out before too long."

Friday is the last day before rain hits on Saturday, leaving just one day to clear off roofs and avoid huge headaches.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
, Watertown, NY

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