As we move into the first week of March, several parts of the country are facing snow and ice storms on top of large snow totals, making snow removal from roofs an ongoing concern.

Removing snow completely from a roof surface can result in serious damage to the roof covering and possibly lead to leaks and additional damage, according to the Snow Load Safety Guide, published as part of the Risk Management Series by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA says that at least two inches of snow should be left on the roof.

Most of the time, it's better to leave the snow alone if you can, because removing it can pose a risk to the workers and the structure. But if you do have to get the snow off the roof, here are some tips from FEMA for removing snow safely and effectively:

Continue Reading for Free

Register and gain access to:

  • Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Rosalie Donlon

Rosalie Donlon is the editor in chief of ALM's insurance and tax publications, including NU Property & Casualty magazine and NU PropertyCasualty360.com. You can contact her at [email protected].