Removing heavy piles of snow from the roof during a blistering snowstorm is surely not on most people’s lists of “Things I love to do.” The harrowing act can be hazardous and just plain exhausting! That’s why we have a hack for you today that will completely change the way you look at this laborious wintertime chore. Throw on your parka, grab some string, and read on!

Today’s tip comes to us from YouTube’s Big World channel. They show us how just some cleverly-tied string can get rid hundreds of pounds of heavy snow.

The clip starts out with an absolute treat—an idyllic shot of a home that looks like it’s straight out of a Thomas Kinkade painting. Though the sights are breathtaking, the snow-packed roof is enough to get any seasoned Northerner’s heart racing. That pile of ice has got to go!

Next, we see a man attaching heavy duty pieces of string to the strategic “high points” of the roof. And, after coming down, he simply pulls the remainder of the hanging string. This move sends a mini avalanche of snow from the roof barreling to the ground. Magic!

person removing snow from roof with a stringJust Awesome

Now, we’re thinking that this method won’t work on flat roofs—unless you have a lot of man power behind you or somebody willing to play a game of tug of war with some snow. Otherwise, this genius wintertime hack is fit for standard gable roofs or combination roofs. In other words, if your roof has any sort of angle to it, then this technique is sure to be your go-to!

As a bonus tip, we recommend adding these strings to the roof before the snow comes so that you don’t have to deal with the possible slippery and frigid conditions that you will encounter after a heavy snowfall!

 

The danger of leaving snow alone

Anyone who has lived in an area that gets a lot of snow knows that removing icy pile-up from your house’s roof is just part of life. The main danger lies in the fact that snow is heavy and the weight of it can cause some serious damage.

So, how much snow is too much for a roof to bear? Well, the answer is not quite so black and white. According to an in-depth study from Popular Mechanics, there is simply no “one size fits all” special number that you can apply to your home. What it comes down to is the amount of reinforcements, like collar ties and bracings, that are built into the roof or attic area of the structure.

Nonetheless, you CAN get a rough estimation of what the snow weighs by eyeballing its depth as it sits on your roof. For instance, the experts at House Logic report that “six inches of wet snow is equal to the weight of about 38 inches of dry snow.” This gives you some idea of how heavy the stuff really is!

Long story short, if your area has experienced a heavy snow fall, and there is no warm front in sight, it’s definitely time to take that string and slough off the excess frost!

Now that you’re surely bundling up and getting ready to remove those inches of snow, first be sure to watch Just Awesome’s video below to see how to complete this hack effectively. Just remember: happy roofs mean happy homes!

What do you think of this snow removal hack? Have you tried this before yourself? If so, were you pleased with the results? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!