How to Remove Snow from a Flat Roof: Tips from Experts

Many people love the sight of fresh snowfall in the morning. It covers your neighborhood and home in a blanket of white that makes most people feel peaceful and cozy. Although it looks harmless, piled-up snow on a flat roof can be pretty detrimental to the health of your roof.

During the winter months, owners of flat roofs must monitor the level of snow piled up and remove it as needed. However, removing snow from a flat commercial roof isn’t as simple as taking a shovel to the snow. To help you out, we’ve put together a few tips from experts on how to remove snow from a flat roof.

Assess the Area

Before removing any snow from your flat roof, assess the area. Determine if any passerby or patrons to your building could be injured from falling snow. If so, clearly mark these areas and put out caution signs.

Don’t Use Sharp or Metal Tools

Stay away from using sharp or metal tools to remove snow and ice from the roof. Metal tools can cause damage to your roof due to their sharp edges. In addition, metal tools have the potential to conduct electricity should you come in contact with a power line on the roof.

Only Use Plastic Tools

Only use plastic shovels to clear snow from your roof. When used carefully, plastic tools won’t dig into the membrane of the roof or damage other roofing materials.

Use a Snow Rake

If you want to avoid going on your roof, opt for using a snow rake. This helps you pull snow off the roof and onto the ground. In addition, a snow rake can help reduce a load of snow on your roof until you can contact a professional.

Contact a Professional

If you’re not professionally trained in roof snow removal, it’s best to leave it to the experts. It’s easy to damage your roof, as roof appendages like skylights and vents become very brittle in the wintertime. An accumulation of snow can also lead to black ice on your roof, increasing the chances for you to slip and fall. To protect yourself and your roof, contact a trained roof snow removal company to get the job done.

PB Roofing Can Help You Remove Snow from Your Flat Roof

PB Roofing understands how important it is to remove snow buildup from your roof. A roof collapse in winter is the last thing any builder owner wants, as this can result in damage to electrical conduits, water piping, and much more. Our PB Project team is trained in the art of roof snow removal and is ready to keep your roof safe this winter. To find out more about our services, contact us online.