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Rescuing your roof from snow
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| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman Floyd Kendall, a local private contractor, helps out friends at the corner of Katie Lane and Patterson Street Friday by shoveling off their roof. |
Heavy snow and rain on roofs can lead to a collapse
By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
David Ebsen knows what too much snow can do to roofs.
Last winter, heavy snow threatened roofs on the Oregon Institute of Technology campus, but Ebsen, OIT’s director of facilities services, his staff, temporary employees and a contractor successfully removed snow before any roof collapsed.
The university was closed for three days while roofs were shoveled. Ebsen said it’s wise to err on the side of caution when dealing with snow loads.
Ebsen suggests that homeowners pay attention to their own roofs. He said telltale signs of impending collapse include a sagging ceiling or cracks in drywall.
“If you’re seeing distortion, that’s an indicator things are stretching pretty tight,” he said.
Last winter, other roofs in Klamath Falls did collapse, including part of the Egyptian Plaza downtown.
So far this winter, Ebsen has kept a sharp eye on snow conditions.
“We are monitoring it,” he said Friday. “We’re OK now, but one more good storm and things will change.”
Contractors
Ebsen suggested homeowners have a professional, such as a contractor, perform snow removal, because digging too deep can gouge the shingles, causing the roof to leak in warmer weather.
“If you have concerns, call a structural engineer and have it evaluated,” he said.
Nabil Taha, structural engineer and president of Precision Structural Engineering in Klamath Falls, believes home owners can scoop their own roofs if they do it carefully.
He suggests being pro-active, rather than waiting until 18 inches of snow or more has accumulated.
“Prevention is best,” he said, “but do it safely. If you are elderly and cannot do it, call someone to do it for you.”
He said it costs about $200 for an engineer to do an on-site consultation and more for in-depth analysis.
“It’s cheaper to do it yourself than to call an engineer,” Taha said.
Those with questions about their roofs may call Taha at 850-6300 for free advice over the phone.
Last winter, heavy snow threatened roofs on the Oregon Institute of Technology campus, but Ebsen, OIT’s director of facilities services, his staff, temporary employees and a contractor successfully removed snow before any roof collapsed.
The university was closed for three days while roofs were shoveled. Ebsen said it’s wise to err on the side of caution when dealing with snow loads.
Ebsen suggests that homeowners pay attention to their own roofs. He said telltale signs of impending collapse include a sagging ceiling or cracks in drywall.
“If you’re seeing distortion, that’s an indicator things are stretching pretty tight,” he said.
Last winter, other roofs in Klamath Falls did collapse, including part of the Egyptian Plaza downtown.
So far this winter, Ebsen has kept a sharp eye on snow conditions.
“We are monitoring it,” he said Friday. “We’re OK now, but one more good storm and things will change.”
Contractors
Ebsen suggested homeowners have a professional, such as a contractor, perform snow removal, because digging too deep can gouge the shingles, causing the roof to leak in warmer weather.
“If you have concerns, call a structural engineer and have it evaluated,” he said.
Nabil Taha, structural engineer and president of Precision Structural Engineering in Klamath Falls, believes home owners can scoop their own roofs if they do it carefully.
He suggests being pro-active, rather than waiting until 18 inches of snow or more has accumulated.
“Prevention is best,” he said, “but do it safely. If you are elderly and cannot do it, call someone to do it for you.”
He said it costs about $200 for an engineer to do an on-site consultation and more for in-depth analysis.
“It’s cheaper to do it yourself than to call an engineer,” Taha said.
Those with questions about their roofs may call Taha at 850-6300 for free advice over the phone.
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