Awning How-To: Safe Snow Removal
Posted on Wednesday, February 4th, 2015 at 4:08 pm.
The happiness-hating groundhog has predicted six more weeks of winter. You’re sick of the snow. Your awning is sick of the snow. And yet, here comes this fuzzy little rodent telling us that we are going to have to deal with it for a month and a half longer. We can only hope that Snowmaggedon, the Snowpocalypse, and Snowzilla have decided to go dormant and leave us to suffer through the cold without the added treasure that comes with trudging through twelve feet of snow. If these last six weeks of freezing temperatures do bring more snow, you’ll need to know how to practice safe snow removal.
When heavy, wet snow builds up on your awning, the weight can do quite a bit of damage. This is especially problematic if your awning is fabric rather than aluminum. Don’t wait for the snow to melt and refreeze because ice can be an even worse foe for your awning than snow. You may be tempted to use whatever rake or shovel you’ve got laying around, but these tools aren’t designed for your specific purpose and can cause damage to your awning.
Hire Professionals
Snow can be just as damaging to your roof as it is to your awning. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, you can hire a contractor to remove the snow from both. This is undoubtedly your safest option, though you may find it to be the costliest as well. Making your way up to the icy top of your awning can be a scary task to take on, so if you find yourself intimidated, consider calling in the pros.
Start with a roof rake
Most of your options require a small purchase, but living in this climate, you’ll get plenty of use out of your new tools. A roof rake will set you back about $40 at your local home improvement store. This product allows you to knock snow off of your awning from the safety of the ground. Roof rakes are a good option for the bulk of your snow removal, as they essentially have an aluminum plow at the end of a long, extendable arm. The aluminum can be damaging to some awnings, so it’s best to remove the majority of the snow with your roof rake and finish the job off with a gentler means of removal.
Finish with a snow broom
Snow brooms look just like your average push broom but they are set on an extendable arm to make your job easier. After you remove most of the snow on your awning with your roof rake, your snow broom is the perfect tool to finish the job. Light dustings of snow can be cleared away with just the broom.
Carroll Awning provides the best quality awnings and frames for any business or restaurant, as well as homes and apartments, for any time of the year. For a free estimate, call 1-800-999-5617 or click here to contact us online.