• Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. • If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.Reviews ethics statement Home Yard & Outdoors Is It Snowing Where You Are? • I Hope You Have a Roof Rake Pay attention to the snow on your roof. • If you don’t clear it off in a timely manner, you’re asking for trouble. • 30 years experience at tech and consumer publications, print and online. • Five years in the US Army as a translator (German and Polish).
Article Summaries:
- A New England homeowner warns that a looming nor’easter will add at least a foot of snow to roofs, raising the risk of ice dams and interior leaks. He advocates the use of a simple roof rake-a 16‑foot aluminum pole with a 22‑inch blade-as a low‑cost, low‑tech solution to remove meltwater before it refreezes and backs up under shingles. The author contrasts this with expensive whole‑roof heating systems that can cost $1,000-$2,000 to install and require ongoing electricity. He shares personal experience of repairing damage caused by untreated ice dams and stresses that regular roof‑raking after each storm is the most effective preventive measure.
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