Snow is undoubtedly one of nature’s most beautiful creations. But, heavy snowfall can cause hindrance in our day-to-day life, piling up in our roofs, roadways, freezing our rivers, etc.
Many struggles to find a way to remove the snow. But you know there are many ways to remove this snow pile using rakes, shovels, wires, ropes, and many other tools.
Removing snow from the roof with the help of a wire inherently means taking a wire, wrapping it on the base, and then pulling it off so that it cuts through the snow.
This article will give a brief discussion about how to remove snow from a roof with wire. If you are interested, feel free to enjoy reading.
Importance of Snow Removal
Snow must be removed from your roof because if it remains for a long time on top of your roof, it can cause ice dams, leakage, or other damages inside your house.
It is always a good idea to keep the excess weight of snow removed from your roof. When you have ice dam history, you should remove snow before it gets 6 inches long. Again, it depends on your roof condition and strength.
How To Remove Snow From Roof With Wire: Step by Step Guideline
When you have a big pile of snow on your roof, you need to follow some of the steps below to remove them, otherwise, the snow will remain in chunks on the roof, and you have to redo the work.
Precaution
Snow can make your roof very slippery, so while climbing up or doing the whole process, you have to be extra careful. You should follow the necessary safety measures and keep your mind calm.
First, you need to pre-plan your working process and then do the work according to your plan.
Steps To Follow
Step 1: Finding an Appropriate Wire
The length of the wire should be long enough so that it can cover the maximum part of the roof. The wire material should be rigid and firm, and easy to use.
Step 2: Placing the Wire in Right Position
Now, the wire should be in such a position that the middle section of the wire is in the snow covering the area, while both ends should be in your hand. You can do it by climbing up the roof and placing the wire in the right position or by throwing the wire from the downside.
Step 3: Pull Off
Move backward in the opposite direction while both ends of the wire are in your hand. This helps to cut off the snow layer in your roof and the excess snow will eventually fall off.
Pros and Cons of Using Wire
One major pros of this snow wiring method are that it is very simple, affordable, and easy to implement. You are not required to have any professional knowledge of construction or repair to do this kind of technique.
The wiring method is similar to the rope method of snow removal, but it is better because wires are stiffer and stronger.
But, this method is risky, straining, and quite unsafe. Any moment of absent-mindedness can cause several injuries.
jmnkuUse of Heated Wires
Some alternatives are also available in removing snow such as the use of a rake, shovel, heated wires, and many more.
Heat cables are sometimes used by people to melt down the snow pile but work very poorly as they can not cope up with the amount of snow piling up on the roof.
Heat cables mainly work on dead short circuits, which means the positive and negative sides of the cables are constantly in contact with each other. And that is one of the main reasons for failing the process by shorting out.
The installation of heat cables is very costly. They require a lot of electricity. And even if doesn’t work efficiently to prevent ice-dams and snow piling up on your roof.
Safety Measures
Cleaning the roof in snowy weather is very risky. Snow removal is very important to make your roofs dam-free and long-lasting. To maintain the following safety measures while working.
Do not attempt to climb up when it is windy outside.
You need to wear proper clothing and boots while climbing up. The boots should have enough grip.
Snow can be very slippery so while installing the wire make sure to always be very attentive.
While pulling off the wire, never stand in the same direction or under the roof. Always make a safe distance, otherwise, a snow pile can hit you hard.
Final Words
The ‘Wiring Snow Off’ technique is widely used for its simplicity and effectiveness. This additional weight of snow can raise up the stress on your roof increasing the chances of leakage, ice dams and eventually making it unusable.
I hope this article has helped you have a clear idea about how to remove snow from a roof with wire. Again it will be better to have a partner helping you in case of the heavy snow piles.
