Too much snow on your roof can be dangerous

One of the forgotten dangers of living in Alaska is a roof full of snow. Though it may make a cozy cabin photo, the chance of roof collapse or being caught in an avalanche of roof snow is real, it’s also something we can prepare for.

Haines is reporting nearly four feet of snow at multiple locations, and with high winds expected throughout the week, drifting snow can cause greater depths. Erik Stevens from the Haines Avalanche Center says addressing your snowy roof while it’s cold can prevent problems later on when it warms up.

“I definitely recommend people be cautious. But it’s also a good idea to get that snow off your roof. If it’s piling up, then it’s not shedding naturally. I’d hate for the next storm to come in real heavy and wet it could double the load pretty easily,” said Stevens.

He also says the Haines Avalanche Center measured the ground snow load over the weekend and found the snow weighs 57 pounds per square foot.

“I’ve heard of yurts collapsing pretty frequently here in Haines, I’ve seen garages and boat sheds collapse pretty frequently. I don’t think I’ve heard so much about residential homes collapsing. But every now and then there’s a flat roof business that might collapse. So it does happen,” said Stevens.

In Skagway, fire department officials warn that heat from inside the house can cause the snow closest to the roof to melt, which can later freeze. That can be a problem for firefighters when there’s a chimney fire. Firefighter Engineer Zak Overmyer says they don’t wear cleats on their boots to get a good grip on icy roofs because that’s dangerous when climbing ladders.

“We don’t have a ladder truck or a platform vehicle that we can put a ladder up to have a surface for us to be on. We actually have to put a portable ladder up against the house, and then another ladder that hangs on the peak of the roof to give us a stable platform to work off of. And if there’s a bunch of snow up there, we’re not able to get that ladder. So we’d have to spend the extra time to shovel those roofs off,” said Overmyer.

He also says that time spent shoveling snow instead of fighting the fire can lead to more damage and heavy snow loads can cause collapses.

“If the house itself does get involved in a fire, having that extra load on the roof and extra weight will make those trusses and ceilings and stuff fail a lot quicker which can potentially harm us as firefighters getting us trapped inside,” said Overmyer.

Fire department records show that typically, two to three chimneys catch fire each year in Skagway.

Another potential danger from excessive snow on roofs is a roof-snow avalanche. Last January a Haines man was buried while collecting firewood out by Mosquito Lake. As Chilkat Valley News reported, a former heli-ski guide was grabbing a couple of logs for his wood stove at night when the roof-snow gave way and buried him.

He managed to access his cell phone while pinned by the snow and alerted neighbors who helped rescue him after about 45 minutes. He was lucky.

Stevens says shoveling a roof can cause a slide, slides can also happen anytime if the roof has a steep pitch.

“Metal roofs are particularly slick underneath. And they tend to slide when it warms up. When it’s cold they’re not likely to slide, but they could. The other thing that increases the danger, significantly, of a roof avalanche, would be the steepness of the roof. If your roof is around 30 degrees or steeper, I do not recommend getting on top of it or under it at all, because it could shed really at any time,” said Stevens.

He says snow drifts piling up on one section of the roof can also create problems and suggests having a structural engineer inspect your roof if you are unsure if it can handle the winter’s snow load.

In addition to the nearly four feet of snow in Haines, Dyea is reporting two feet, the William Moore Bridge on the Klondike Highway is reporting three feet and in town, Skagway is reporting 16”.

Skagway officials suggest hiring a local contractor to help with snow removal if necessary.