How do you shovel off your roof when you have 18' of snow--and more coming?

[snowleopard]

This is what I keep thinking about with the folks in Cordova and Valdez? Especially if you have a one-story house? And what about if you're heating with wood? Of course, the insulation from the snow probably makes fires pretty much a moot point. But where do you stack the snow if you're shoveling? Of course, you also don't have to worry about falling off the roof. Unless the snow is so soft that you just sink into it rather than fall on it. If your house is taller than the snow. And what if you're snowed in--literally? As in, "I can't open my doors." And your roof starts to make creaky-moany noises?

These are the things I think about when I think about the good people on the coast. I am officially off whining about my winter weather. Briefly, at least.

I heard that it rained for awhile, too. Which should do interesting things to the pounds-per-square-foot numbers. And they have more snow coming.

Trust me on this one, Alaskans hardly ever shut down their schools for weather. Kids go out to recess at -20 to -40, depending upon the community. They're expected to bundle up, keep moving, and have fun. But this snow has shut down schools because they are afraid the roof might collapse. Okay, so I guess you can cut the kids a break on that one. But make sure they spend the day shoveling, so we don't make sissies out of them.

 

[nate379]

That is TOTAL snowfall from this winter.

We had about 6ft so far in this part of the state, but there is maybe 1.5-2ft of snow in my yard.

The news is making a big stink over nothing really.

 

[woodchip]

I'm thinking about the guys out at Anchorage too, this made our news:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ties-run-shovels-following-27ft-snowfall.html

How the heck to you keep warm when the snow is up to the top of the flue............ ;-)

 

[bogydave]

Shoveled many roofs.
It takes manpower
Some of our big oil storage tanks, we'd sling the big Honda snow blowers to the roofs & blow it of in stages.
A 200' diameter tank roof can hold allot of snow 4' or more deep
Measure the weight per sq inch, take an 8" stove pipe & pull a sample a few places on the roof.
Weigh the snow in the pipe, calculate the weight per sq inch.
We had charts for various roofs for the weight they were rated to hold.

Oh the good ole working days

How the heck to you keep warm when the snow is up to the top of the flue….........
Add more pipe :lol:
Snow is great insulation too.

 

[GAMMA RAY]

How the heck to you keep warm when the snow is up to the top of the flue….........
Add more pipe :lol:
Snow is great insulation too.

Holy friggin crap.....that's all I can say..... :-S

 

[SolarAndWood]

A lot of roofs get shoveled here. The original flat roof on my house started to fail at some point and they went over it with 14" I beams on 24" centers, then bolted the original rafters up to it. I got sick of shoveling the roof and went over the top with 12/12 trusses with big overhangs. No gutters either. No shoveling required and the snow slides end up far enough away from the house that I don't have to deal with them.

 

[Highbeam]

Good thinking solar. I've been in a few "attics" where you were standing on the old roof but underneath the new roof. It's a pretty slick way to improve your homes looks, and utility. Trusses are cheap and if you need to reroof anyways then the cost is very small.

 

[JustWood]

That is TOTAL snowfall from this winter.

We had about 6ft so far in this part of the state, but there is maybe 1.5-2ft of snow in my yard.

The news is making a big stink over nothing really.

Yep, we had 280"+ here last winter and there was never more than 4-5' on the ground at any time. Most of it came in a 4-5 week period.
It melts from underneath and compacts.

 

[jharkin]

I remember last winter when we had those snows every 3 days in New England and I got to the point of having to snow broom the roof to help the ice dams. From repeated snowblowing and shoveling the drifts in the side yard were about 5 feet deep - but they packed so dense I could just walk ON TOP of it. I even carved steps into the berm with my shovel to climb up there. I would walk right up and almost be able to grab the eaves standing on the pile - made getting the snow broom up to the roof peak easy.

 

[yooperdave]

Shoveling roofs? If they aren't flat, it easy. As soon as you start shoveling, you realize it's all downhill!
I have to shovel at least two roofs this weekend.

 

[bogydave]

1989-90 Valdez had 560"
Average 305"
http://www.nebraskaweatherphotos.org/Valdez-Alaska-Snow-Capital.html

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'd think there would be enough heat above the flue that the snow would melt. I'd wonder how to get more wood from the stack. My stacks aren't high enough to find with that much snow.

Matt

 

[begreen]

Tunnels.

 

[BrotherBart]

Tunnels.

The same way I got to the generator shack. On a smaller scale.