These days the bulk of my personal satisfaction in life comes from success at roof raking.
Last night, during a storm that dumped 50 cm of snow on the city, I made two trips out, followed by a more complete rake this morning. The result, with the cooperation of the bright sun today, is a good metre of bare roof on the front, and very little, if any, ice damming. Success!
Tomorrow I fly away for a week in New Hampshire and Ontario and I have to rely on the good graces of others to keep the roof clear in my absence.
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I am Peter Rukavina and this is my blog. I am a writer, letterpress printer, and a curious person.
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Ontario for a week? We'll
Ontario for a week? We'll just miss each other! I'll be in Toronto the weekend after next.
Howdy Peter, I know it is
Howdy Peter, I know it is exercise, a tangible action, and a purpose for you against the big bad snow, but there is a "heat tape" that can change your relationship with the next "dump". Installed in both gutter and on first 12" of your roof, the tape runs an electrical current through the snow at times controlled by you (timer or manual install), reducing it to liquid, then trickling down your spouts to the street below (or your neighbors yard)! Seems to work here on the flats, winter capital of Canada! Best, Bob
We’ve experimented with the
We’ve experimented with the “heat tape” in the past, and it served us well for a couple of years. Eventually, though, the tape started to become detached, and that, along with the $100/month in additional electricity it was costing us to run the electricity through it, convinced me that using my own energy rather than electricity’s energy was the way to go.
Ultimately the solution is a new roof, with an impermeable barrier under the shingles, and increased insulation in the attic, but those are two big, expensive projects that we’re not ready to take on yet!
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