Get matched with top roof ice and snow removal pros in Inniswood, LA

Be careful when choosing a product to help you remove ice from your wood deck. Never use sand, gravel, or salt, since these items can damage and scratch the wood. Instead, look for chemical de-icers that are marked as safe for wood decks or use hot water to melt snow and ice.

Most roofs can take quite a bit of weight from snow, but their ability to handle heavy snow is not unlimited. Most roofs can handle about 20 pounds per cubic foot of fresh snow. Ice, ice dams, and other factors can contribute to dangerous roof weight. Newer roofs, sloped roofs, and those that have more support can hold more snow than older roofs, flat roofs, and roofs with widely spaced beams. To figure out how much snow your roof can hold, you will need to contact a professional roofing contractor to calculate the maximum snow load for your specific roof.

Snowblowers come in three different sizes: first-, second-, and third-stage blowers. Each additional stage is larger with higher intakes, more powerful, and has more gear options.

A first-stage blower, also called a snow thrower, is usually best for snow 6 to 8 inches or below. Electric snow blowers are usually only available in this size. If you regularly get snow that’s well above six inches, consider a second-stage snow blower. If snowstorms dump 2 to 3 feet of snow repeatedly during winter, you need a third-stage snow blower to tackle it.

It’s the reverse of home de-winterization. To winterize, you purge your plumbing system (including your water heater and all piping) of water. Some experts also recommend filling fixtures with an antifreeze solution. Other tasks involve winterizing sprinklers, sealing foundation vents, check weatherproofing around doors and windows, and more.