When product is installed, can you still rake snow off the roof after big snow storms ?
368368
I have several hundred feet installed. I do NOT think it would be possible to rake any snow near the gutter portion of the roof; such as within about 2 feet from the gutters up in my case. It would catch the cable and pull it loose. (And it would be a pain to put it back at that time, cuz the shingles are cold/brittle.) I say no.
368369
that would depend on how its installed. I our case we don't use the cable on a roof. We lay it in our driveway to melt drain channels into hard packed snow and ice - short term use now and then. HTH
368370
Yes, but you don't want to push down onto the wires. I tend to rake most of the snow, leaving about 2 inches of snow on the roof. Obviously you have to be careful or you can pull the wires out of the roof.
368371
absolutely not..........unless you want to spend time on a ladder redoing all the work you did the first time. clips are not secure enough to shingles to withstand raking of heavyvsnow. not to mention the force of rake pulling on clips could tear your shingles.
368372
We used a Garelick roof rake that has wheels that keep the blade about 1/2 inch off the roof. We removed about 18 inched of crusted snow and only one clip came loose. I think you'd be fine with fresh snow.
2136985
No, the deck can remain on, but depending on how deep the snow is, you may wish to remove it.
1462341
I just replaced a set that was more than 10 years old. The unit melted through serious ice and snow for that time on a problematic area of our guest house roof. Remember, your roof must by snow free for proper installation. Also, if it is too cold the shingles can crack when you install since you have to pry them up a bit to get fastener clips under them. If you install on your primary residence and are home all winter you can skip the controller and just plug the cables in manually when needed to cut channels in ice dams. They do use some juice so remember to unplug when not needed, after you have allowed snow melt runoff to exit roof. I just replaced a set that was more than 10 years old. The unit melted through serious ice and snow for that time on a problematic area of our guest house roof. Remember, your roof must by snow free for proper installation. Also, if it is too cold the shingles can crack when you install since you have to pry them up a bit to get fastener clips under them. If you install on your primary residence and are home all winter you can skip the controller and just plug the cables in manually when needed to cut channels in ice dams. They do use some juice so remember to unplug when not needed, after... » Read More I just replaced a set that was more than 10 years old. The unit melted through serious ice and snow for that time on a problematic area of our guest house roof. Remember, your roof must by snow free for proper installation. Also, if it is too cold the shingles can crack when you install since you have to pry them up a bit to get fastener clips under them. If you install on your primary residence and are home all winter you can skip the controller and just plug the cables in manually when needed to cut channels in ice dams. They do use some juice so remember to unplug when not needed, after you have allowed snow melt runoff to exit roof. « Show Less
1210514
I do not have solar panels on my roof, and my thought would to let the snow melt by it self, but if I were going to use a snow rake, it would be this one. I found an article on the web that referenced this snow rake for snow removal on solar panels. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10156471-54.html If you were to use it you would have to be very, very careful to be sure that the bottom of the blade was lowered so the sharp corners of the rake do not touch the panels. Also, if you received heavy resistance when pulling the rake down, I would stop and lift it off rather than putting extra possible pressure on the panels. Good luck. I do not have solar panels on my roof, and my thought would to let the snow melt by it self, but if I were going to use a snow rake, it would be this one. I found an article on the web that referenced this snow rake for snow removal on solar panels. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10156471-54.html If you were to use it you would have to be very, very careful to be sure that the bottom of the blade was lowered so the sharp corners of the rake do not touch the panels. Also, if you received heavy resistance when pulling the rake down, I would stop and lift it off rather than putting... » Read More I do not have solar panels on my roof, and my thought would to let the snow melt by it self, but if I were going to use a snow rake, it would be this one. I found an article on the web that referenced this snow rake for snow removal on solar panels. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10156471-54.html If you were to use it you would have to be very, very careful to be sure that the bottom of the blade was lowered so the sharp corners of the rake do not touch the panels. Also, if you received heavy resistance when pulling the rake down, I would stop and lift it off rather than putting extra possible pressure on the panels. Good luck. « Show Less
8650
It is not designed to be a seasonal product, but if you live in a place that gets heavy snowfalls, you might want to remove the panels of the roof since they would not hold much of a snow load. And they might just get brittle enough to crack if the temps get very cold and stay that way in winter.
748507
It can. In fact, it comes off by itself occasionally. I would recommend using it, though, as it helps pull down snow chunks.
468616
Yes, but depends on how much snow. It will sag under heavier weight. I usually just sweep off the top after a snow storm to get most of it off (I don't use a shovel because it could puncture the tarp). Between snow and wind I usually have to replace the tarp every 2-3 years for Utah winter weather.
301341
Not always, depends on snowfall. Most times only a vroomNot always, most times onkr a broom, depends on snow fall and if ice is a factor. Unit does a good job.
1274861
Snow might land on top of it, but that would not interfere with the operation. I live in Detroit and we're near record snowfall this winter, but this unit is performing like a champ.
258402
I tried it again 3 days ago and it didn't do a good job! I threw about six up on my roof and a lot of snow is still there! I would not recommend this item! You have better luck using a roof rake.
523283
There has to be some slope to the roof. I did my parents roof last night and their roof has a very very slight pitch. It took a little more effort since you have to pull the snow down rather than let gravity pull it down. But yes it works great!
1347337
If you have a standing seam or well designed corrugated roof, you may not need deicing cables. The melt should not accumulate, as the snow should slide off the roof. The reason some may have trouble keeping the canes fastened to the roof is that the snow is sliding off. Asphalt rooves don't allow snow avalanches because the snow sticks to the shingles. Adding cables may make things worse, as they would slow down the snow shedding process.
1112166
Yes, I have had 3 feet of snow on the roof with no problem. The fan housing coners a 3 inch lip above the roof and the gap is screened to keep out bugs. When the snow melts, the runoff is directed away from the opening
2119400
I use it on my deck every snowstorm, no issues. Take this advice, before you use it, spray the inside of the blower, auger too, with WD40, it will prevent the snow from sticking inside.
1787131
We are in the south, but I would think it would be the same for the north - keep a watch on it, and remove snow from it as soon as possible - don't let it sit on it for prolonged periods. Jakedogs2 is probably the best/smartest answer, if you can do that.
667179
I live in southern Ontario in the Niagara Peninsula. Infrequently we get storms off the lake that can bring in 16-18" of snow. This year my Penguin gazebo had about 12" of snow and slush on the roof. Not sure what the total weight was but I believe in the installation booklet somewhere it says it can handle about 1200 lbs load. Anyway it has not been a problem over the three winters since it was installed. The only issue I have had was into the 3rd year, hail pellets penetrated the outer skin of the corrugated roofing panels. Penquin replaced the panels with proof of purchase; very good service. Light snow should not be an issue, but if it gets to 30" I think I would try and get some of it off the roof. I suppose you could calculate the weight of one cubic foot of snow and then extrapolate to the surface area of the roof allowing for 3 feet of snow depth. But there are many variables including the wetness of the snow etc. It might be possible to reinforce the inside of the gazebo during the snow months with temporary vertical braces but I would not recommend drilling any holes into the roofing supports.
1735726
If you just replaced the paddles and not the scraper blade together what happens is that as the auger turns the paddle it will throw the snow some toward your feet because of the worn scraper blade and some at the chute. Therefore it will leave some snow behind. Just one quick note these snow throwers don't really do a 100 % removal on uneven surfaces. Mine has done fine for the last 2 years.