# 3 Guys, 3 Hours to Shovel Off My Roof **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 19, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758 "2013-01-19T23:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/1 "2013-01-19T23:18:49Z")
Now I have to move all the snow away from our foundations. At least it should solve the ice dam problem for another year … ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/2 "2013-01-20T00:01:57Z")
that’s what you get for living on Hoth. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/3 "2013-01-20T00:12:59Z")
Gee. Seems like only yesterday you were bitchin about 12 inches. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/4 "2013-01-20T00:44:44Z")
It keeps coming! ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/5 "2013-01-20T01:53:46Z")
Jealous as hell. No snow in Chicago all year. Or last year. Dying for snow. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/6 "2013-01-20T01:56:36Z")
Oshawa was 5 degrees and bare today. Is there a weather barrier at the Manitoba border, or what? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/7 "2013-01-20T02:28:06Z")
This is possibly a stupid question, but why are you shoveling your roof? There’s a reason we make those things pointy up north. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/8 "2013-01-20T02:29:57Z")
A coworker bought one of [these](http://www.avalanche-snow.com/index.asp) and apparently it works as advertised. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/9 "2013-01-20T02:36:59Z")
Ours is pointy, but not pointy enough that all the snow rolls off if it. The weight of the snow can force roofs to collapse by the end of the winter. It doesn’t happen very often, but can be a worry. Plus, there’s the ice dam issue. We’ve had fluctuating temperature over the past two months, with melting/freezing cycles. That means that ice dams build up on the edge of the roof, particularly south-facing roofs. Once you have an ice dam, if the snow starts to melt, it can’t flow into the eaves, so it starts backing-up under the shingles and leaking into the house, which is Not A Good Thing. Shoveling the snow doesn’t break up the ice dams, but reduces the amount of snow that can melt into the house. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/10 "2013-01-20T02:44:35Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > 3 Guys, 3 Hours to Shovel Off My Roof > Now I have to move all the snow away from our foundations. At least it should solve the ice dam problem for another year … How much/hour do you pay? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/11 "2013-01-20T02:49:55Z")
I don’t pay them; I hire a company, to ensure they’re covered by Workers Compensation! It cost just under $200, which I thought was low, but they must know their own business. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/12 "2013-01-20T02:51:44Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The weight of the snow can force roofs to collapse by the end of the winter. It doesn’t happen very often, but can be a worry. Mrs Piper has mentioned that she’s heard the house creaking and popping all afternoon; I assume that’s the result of expansion as the weight has been taken off. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/13 "2013-01-20T02:52:08Z")
Today, I grilled chicken on the outdoor grill. Gonna have to cut the grass soon. I feel for ya, OP. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/14 "2013-01-20T03:00:13Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > A coworker bought one of [these](http://www.avalanche-snow.com/index.asp) and apparently it works as advertised. That looks interesting, but you’ll note from the advertising that they recommend using it _before_ the ice dams form…there’s an assumption there about my orgaizational ability. Also, we have a two-story, so it’s a bit hard for even the longest rake to reach up to the top. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/15 "2013-01-20T03:04:44Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Oshawa was 5 degrees and bare today. Is there a weather barrier at the Manitoba border, or what? Possibly one at the Alberta border too. We had a dump of snow a week ago, followed by a few days of +5 temps. So, my roof is bare; but since we had a snap freeze last night, the street is currently a skating rink. Good to hear that your roof is fine, **NP**. Hope the weather improves for you soon! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/16 "2013-01-20T14:55:19Z")
I feel your pain. I finally gave up on shingles and heat tape and went for a steel roof. Not much snow this year, but I hope it solves our leakage problem. So far, so good. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/17 "2013-01-20T14:59:04Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Today, I grilled chicken on the outdoor grill. Gonna have to cut the grass soon. > > I feel for ya, OP. He’ll return the favor in June. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/18 "2013-01-20T15:32:33Z")
In June, I’ll still be mowing grass and grilling chicken. So I’ll be good. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/19 "2013-01-20T16:52:33Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > That looks interesting, but you’ll note from the advertising that they recommend using it _before_ the ice dams form…there’s an assumption there about my orgaizational ability. > > Also, we have a two-story, so it’s a bit hard for even the longest rake to reach up to the top. They’ve got extensions. Comes with 16 feet, and each extension kit is 8 feet. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/20 "2013-01-20T17:08:57Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > that’s what you get for living on Hoth. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758.md?page=2)