Canadian winters can wreak havoc on roofs, as snow and ice build up all season. Late in the winter, and even in the spring in Northern Canada, the snow and ice can become too heavy for residential roofs, causing them to leak or collapse. Homeowners need to get the snow and ice off of their roof, but they must do so safely. One of the safest ways of removing snow and ice is with calcium chloride pucks.

A Dangerous Method

Many homeowners climb up onto their roofs to manually remove the snow and ice. They use a ladder to get onto the roof and then hammer channels into the ice.

The channels provide a way for snow and ice to drip down the roof when they melt. The home's roof will melt the snow and ice that is in direct contact with it. As long as the water has a channel it can flow down, it will go off the roof and refreeze on the floor. All homeowners must do is hammer a channel every few feet into any ice that accumulates on the roof, ensuring that there are always clear channels for water to flow down.

Although this is an effective method, it is also a dangerous method. First, homeowners must climb up onto their roofs in the middle of winter. Climbing on a roof is hazardous in any conditions, but the risk of falling is especially high when the surface is covered in snow and ice.

Second, it is difficult to hammer only through the ice and not hit the shingles below. Richard Roofing advises against using hatches or axes to break up ice dams on roofs, as they are difficult to control and increase the likelihood that you will damage the shingles. Instead, try using a regular hammer to break up the ice if you must try this method

An Inadequate Method

A roof rake is a rake-like object that is attached to a long pole. With a roof rake, homeowners can reach up to their home's roofs and scrape off the snow.

Roof rakes are safer than the first method of removing snow. Roof rakes don't require climbing up on roofs, so there is little risk to homeowners. Since they scrape snow off, instead of hammer ice, they aren't likely to damage a roof.

Roof rakes, however, are less effective than climbing up on a roof. They will only remove snow; they can't break up ice dams. Also, homeowners are only able to remove snow on the edge of their roofs with this method. Roof rakes can't remove snow that is out of reach.

A Safe and Effective Method

Calcium chloride pucks are both a safe and effective way to get snow and ice off of a roof. Resembling hockey pucks made from calcium chloride, these pucks can be thrown up onto a roof from the ground. Once on the roof, they will melt any snow or ice the compound comes into contact with as it dissolves.

Because they are thrown from the ground, these pucks are as safe as using a roof rake. There is no need to climb up on a snowy roof. Also, since the only impact is the puck landing when it is thrown, shingles are not damaged.

Not only are they safe, but these pucks are also effective. As long as you are able to throw a baseball from one base to another, a distance of 90 feet, you will be able to throw calcium chloride pucks up onto a second-story roof. You won't have any issues getting at places a snow rake couldn't reach. Moreover, these pucks dissolve both snow and ice, so they will be able to take care of any wintery mix on your roof.

If there's a lot of snow and ice on your home's roof, go to sites for advice or use calcium chloride pucks to melt it off. They are the safest and most effective method of making sure the snow and ice doesn't damage your roof.