Roof Snow Removal Tool

Roof Snow Removal Tool

No, those are not the uprights at a football stadium!

It's a really cool (pun intended) tool to get the snow off your roof.

When the snow piles up on your roof and then rain is forecast you HAVE to get the snow off your roof or risk structural damage from the excess weight. What is the easiest and fastest way to get snow off your roof? I would say this tool is faster and easier than most anything else.

Instead of dragging snow off your roof this tool cuts the snow into blocks that then slide off your roof from their own weight.

This snow removal tool screws onto a painting extension pole to get you the necessary reach.

The tool consists of a wooden bottom sled that contains the handle where the extension pole attaches, the vertical metal uprights that slice the snow, and the plastic slide that lets the snow slip off the roof.

Curved Wood Molding 26" long (Two 1" sections cut off, resulting in 24")

Two 1-1/4" x 12" to 18" galvanized steel tie strap

Two 1-1/4" x 2" 90 degree brackets

Paint Roller Frame

Paint Extension Pole

Epoxy Glue

Zip Ties

Black Plastic as wide as molding and several feet long

Four #8, 1/2" machine screws with washers, lock washers and nuts

Four #8, 1" (>thickness of molding) machine screws with washers, lock washers and nuts

(Extra Hardware Shown)

Alternate mounting method only requires Two #8 by 2-1/2" machine screws with washers, lock washer and nuts

The sled is the main component of the tool to which all parts attach. It is actually a piece of molding. I cut off two 1-inch pieces to act as skids. The skids were epoxied onto each end. The skids are on the bottom side of the sled and are what contacts the roof. The narrow edge of the molding faces the snow.

The finished length (width) of the sled is 24 inches.

Fasten each of the 12" - 18" long steel tie straps (verticals) to one side of the 90 degree angle brackets with 1/2" machine screws, washers, lock washers and nuts. Some holes may line up between the strap and bracket, other holes will have to be drilled to allow two machine screws per side.

Fasten the 90 degree brackets, with vertical attached, to the molding using two >1" machine screws, washers, lock washers and nuts at each end of the molding.

[This fastening method has been modified. Go to Step 5 to see the new modified fastening method.]

OLD METHOD:

Cut the rod of the paint handle down short as shown and use hardware to fasten to molding.

I used black plastic for the snow slide. I rolled out a suitable width of plastic, cut it to length. pulled it up under the sled and then up over the leading edge of the sled. I tripled the thickness of the plastic by rolling it (so the plastic was less likely to tear at the staples) and then using a staple gun stapled it to the top of the sled.

As shown in the first photo, the paint roller handle rod bent after just a few uses. Darn!

The quick and easy solution was to cut off the metal bar altogether and just mount the paint roller handle directly to the sled.

Just drill two holes through the handle and use machine screws, lock washers and nuts to fasten the paint roller handle to the sled.

Now much stronger and stable. Works better!

Just position the tool at the edge of the roof at the base of the snow pack and push it into the snow. As you push up the roof the verticals will slice the snow and eventually it will break off as a slab and slide down the plastic sheet and off the roof.

Happy Roof Clearing! - Enjoy!