# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/21 "2013-01-20T17:22:03Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > A coworker bought one of [these](http://www.avalanche-snow.com/index.asp) and apparently it works as advertised. I can’t say from experience, as I haven’t tried it, but that looks like a _really bad_ idea for an asphalt shingle roof, like mine. I just had a new roof put on late last year, and some of the shingles aren’t lying flat quite yet. The roofer says they will flatten out in time, especially in the next hot summer. But a rake like that is likely to catch under a shingle and rip it right off. Then you have a greater problem than just a pile of snow; you’ve got a leaky roof in the winter. Besides, on a shingle roof, any scraping risks serious damage to the composition. Asphalt shingles were not designed to resist abrasive scraping. If you must do that, get a metal roof or some other kind that’s compatible with that kind of action. I rarely have a “too much snow” problem, and have never seen the need (for me, at least) to remove snow myself, with one exception. That was a particular winter when the temps rose and fell in just the right sequence to create an ice damn near the edge of an almost-flat part of the roof, over a bay window. That could have been solved by placing a heater wire under the edge of the roof, and I might install one sometime just in case. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/22 "2013-01-20T21:43:14Z")
Hijacking **Piper’s** thread, since we’re in the general vicinity. On Friday, it got up to 0C. Today, with the windchill, it’s -41C/F. That’s right, it’s so damn cold celsius and fahrenheit are the same! My body is all confused. I bundle up to go get groceries, but when I get into the store, I get so warm I start sweating. ---
**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, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/23 "2013-01-20T22:03:53Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I can’t say from experience, as I haven’t tried it, but that looks like a _really bad_ idea for an asphalt shingle roof, like mine. > > I just had a new roof put on late last year, and some of the shingles aren’t lying flat quite yet. The roofer says they will flatten out in time, especially in the next hot summer. But a rake like that is likely to catch under a shingle and rip it right off. Then you have a greater problem than just a pile of snow; you’ve got a leaky roof in the winter. > > Besides, on a shingle roof, any scraping risks serious damage to the composition. Asphalt shingles were not designed to resist abrasive scraping. If you must do that, get a metal roof or some other kind that’s compatible with that kind of action. > > I rarely have a “too much snow” problem, and have never seen the need (for me, at least) to remove snow myself, with one exception. That was a particular winter when the temps rose and fell in just the right sequence to create an ice damn near the edge of an almost-flat part of the roof, over a bay window. That could have been solved by placing a heater wire under the edge of the roof, and I might install one sometime just in case. It doesn’t scrape the shingles. That’s the point of the wheels. The bar across the bottom is an inch or so above the shingles. I haven’t seen it in action, but the coworker is quite happy with it, and has asphalt shingles. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/24 "2013-01-20T22:20:03Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > It doesn’t scrape the shingles. That’s the point of the wheels. The bar across the bottom is an inch or so above the shingles. I haven’t seen it in action, but the coworker is quite happy with it, and has asphalt shingles. I noticed the wheels and the slight clearance they give. But it would be hard to tell if a little resistance you felt was from ice or shingles, and some of my shingles might be non-flat enough to be in harm’s way. With the snow hiding the roof surface, you couldn’t tell until too late, right? Considering the damage it could cause and the risks, I would strongly advise against the use of this gadget. Besides, the idea of _scraping_ across asphalt shingles (as in the OP) seems stupid. They are not designed to accept that kind of abuse. Before I replaced my roof, pieces of the old shingles were flying off in the wind and walking across them caused a rain of particles below. ---
**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 21, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/25 "2013-01-21T01:07:51Z")
It’s -9 here in Oshawa now. The forecast for Tuesday is a high of -13. Some of the cold from the west must have leaked through the weather wall. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/26 "2013-01-21T01:44:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Now I have to move all the snow away from our foundations. At least it should solve the ice dam problem for another year … Ice damming is a bitch and can really cause problems with water intrusion, damaging your roof, floors, carpets, walls, etc. Have you had eave vents installed and blown in insulation? What about ice shield (3-6 feet starting at the eave) under your shingles? These are the only measures that can mitigate ice damming, other than heat tape (which isn’t that effective IME, other than for keeping giant icicles from forming). ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/27 "2013-01-21T03:21:28Z")
See what you get for insulating your attic? Growing up, we never had problems with our roof. Of course, the heating bills damn near killed my father. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/28 "2013-01-21T06:07:29Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > In June, I’ll still be mowing grass and grilling chicken. So I’ll be good. 😉 Yeah, but you’ll be doing it while you’re in danger of spontaneous combustion. 🙂 > [@kushiel](#): > > Hijacking **Piper’s** thread, since we’re in the general vicinity. > > On Friday, it got up to 0C. Today, with the windchill, it’s -41C/F. That’s right, it’s so damn cold celsius and fahrenheit are the same! > > My body is all confused. I bundle up to go get groceries, but when I get into the store, I get so warm I start sweating. I hate that about winter; I don’t mind going out in the cold, but dying of the heat in the stores is not fun at all. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/29 "2013-01-21T06:47:58Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I hate that about winter; I don’t mind going out in the cold, but dying of the heat in the stores is not fun at all. ??? why would a store be hot? ---
**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 21, 2013, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/30 "2013-01-21T07:27:06Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > ??? > > why would a store be hot? It’s not; it’s what you’d expect indoors to be. Room temperature, in other words. But stores typically don’t have a place to put your coat, so you wear it while you shop. And, when you’re wearing a heavy winter coat indoors, you get hot. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/31 "2013-01-21T18:04:25Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I can’t say from experience, as I haven’t tried it, but that looks like a _really bad_ idea for an asphalt shingle roof, like mine. If you look at the video or other info on the site, it shows that the rake actually has wheels on the outside edges. I assume these wheels lift the blade up when it encounters the edge of the next asphalt shingle. J. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/32 "2013-01-22T19:06:00Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > 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. Precisely. I was just about to say, “Getcherself a metal roof.” That’s what we did. Spendy, but worth it. No more ice dams, and fun mini-avalanches that scare the cats as the snow slides off. Good times! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/33 "2013-01-22T19:23:37Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > If you look at the video or other info on the site, it shows that the rake actually has wheels on the outside edges. I assume these wheels lift the blade up when it encounters the edge of the next asphalt shingle. I saw that, but the wheels on the _outside_ edges (of the device) won’t help a shingle that’s warped in the _middle._ Pushing against that could rip it right off, and you wouldn’t know it until the snow fell down and uncovered the damage. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/34 "2013-01-22T22:37:11Z")
It really sounds like the problem is with your shingles, not this device. ---
**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 22, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/35 "2013-01-22T23:03:16Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Precisely. I was just about to say, “Getcherself a metal roof.” That’s what we did. Spendy, but worth it. No more ice dams, and fun mini-avalanches that scare the cats as the snow slides off. Good times! Our building at work has a metal roof and suffered ice dams. Several gallons of water dumped onto my work bench. Just trying to help you feel secure. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/36 "2013-01-23T00:06:23Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Our building at work has a metal roof and suffered ice dams. Several gallons of water dumped onto my work bench. Just trying to help you feel secure. 😛 It’s usually a problem when there are valleys in the roof design. Ice builds up in the valleys and forces it’s way under the flashing. First thaw: flood! ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/37 "2013-01-23T00:18:28Z")
I’m sure glad its warming up here and it never snows. It was cold, really cold the last two weeks, I think daytime temps got down to the 50’s. Now the last couple of days its been past 80, perfect January weather! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/38 "2013-01-23T00:57:00Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > It really sounds like the problem is with your shingles, not this device. Maybe, but it’s a moot point, and my roofer says they are fine. In 40 years, I haven’t had to remove snow from my roof, so I don’t plan on starting now. If it snows in July, I might change my mind. ---
**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 23, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/39 "2013-01-23T01:30:13Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s usually a problem when there are valleys in the roof design. Ice builds up in the valleys and forces it’s way under the flashing. First thaw: flood! No valleys, just a simple peaked roof, albeit a very shallow pitch. According to the landlord’s maintenance dude it was due to degrading rubber washers on the screws holding the roof down. Must not have been an isolated incident as they redid the roofs of two large multi-tenant industrial buildings the next summer. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758/40 "2013-01-23T01:38:22Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > It’s not; it’s what you’d expect indoors to be. Room temperature, in other words. > > But stores typically don’t have a place to put your coat, so you wear it while you shop. And, when you’re wearing a heavy winter coat indoors, you get hot. Exactly - when you’re dressed for -10ºC and you’re in +22ºC, you’re going to get miserably hot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-guys-3-hours-to-shovel-off-my-roof/647758.md?page=3)