Our very snowy January is triggering concern for homeowners. Icicles and snow piled on the roofs are the main concerns.
The impacts of winter on homeowners will be the icicles hanging off the house. They can cause injury and damage to your gutters. You’ll want to knock those icicles off with a long rake or stick to gently knock them off while you’re behind the icicles (to not get hurt in the process).
Roofs might also be an issue depending on where you are. Do not climb on a roof. There will be slippery spots thanks to ice. Make sure you’re using a roof rake or hiring a professional.
The current snow density is 38-50 kg/meter squared while the average threshold for a roof collapse is 320 kg/meter squared. During the Blizzard of 1996, the snow density reached 222 kg/meter squared and several roofs collapsed in Oak Hill and Beckley.
You can calculate the general snow density in your area via this link.
FORECAST: Wind-whipped snow depth reached 23″ during the Blizzard of 1996. We don’t expect the snow depth to reach that magnitude through next week nor the snow density to reach or exceed 222 kg/meter squared. The low down is snow is not expected to trigger roofs to collapse through mid-January. We will continue to monitor things going forward though.
