NEW YORK—Days into an east coast blizzard that has crippled the federal government and closed schools and businesses, the worst is not over yet.
On Tuesday night, as the New York metro area saw snowfall, meteorologists began predicting another impending wave of bad weather as far away as Philadelphia.
Cold air combined with increasing winds, extensive blowing and drifting snow, and low visibility in some areas are contributing to the already extreme weather conditions for much of the region, according to AccuWeather.com.
But now something else is at risk—roofs. Particularly at risk are flat roofs.
“The primary concern is in the areas that got hit over the weekend in the areas that already got a lot of snow on their roofs—snow weighs a lot,” said Tom Kines, a Senior Meteorologist with Accuweather.com.
Some areas that got snow followed by rain or freezing rain are particularly at risk.
“The areas that have had a lot of snow but also are getting rain, the snow kind of absorbs the rain and adds more weight,” said Kines, who adds that the extra stress of the weight on the roof can cause them to cave in.
Kines says the best remedy is simply to get up on the roof and remove as much snow as possible to alleviate the weight.
“What you’ve got to do is get up there and shovel it off. It’s typically a problem with roofs that have less pitch (flatter),” said Kines.
Particularly if a roof is flat, it’s necessary to remove snow from the roof for safety. Roofs with a pitch can also be at risk, especially if ice dam or snow loading occurs.
Ice dam is when a ridge of ice forms at the edge of a roof, preventing melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. The water then backs up behind the ice dam and can leak inside a house, damaging walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Snow loading occurs when the downward force on structures from the weight of accumulated snow threatens certain areas of the roof. A building’s roof is subject to the greatest weight, temperature, and moisture extremes. Older buildings can be particularly vulnerable to structural problems.
For Pat and Leonard Katauskas, the weather woes of the east coast have been a boon to business. The Katauskas sell a patented product invented by Mr. Katauskas called the MinnSNOWta Roof Razor, which safely removes snow from roofs without damaging the structure. The small, family-owned and operated business has had a heavy increase in phone calls, inquiries, and Internet orders in the past few days. But in some cases it’s a challenge to get the product to consumers.
“We’re sending our product out left and right and everywhere in between,” said Mrs. Katauskas by phone from Minnesota. “The delivery time is difficult because airports are closed.”
In the past few days they’ve had dozens of orders from Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia.
“This type of product is a crisis product—you don’t think about buying something like this in August,” she said.
Mrs. Katauskas warns that without the ability to get snow off a roof by oneself, there could be a risk of vulnerable homeowners getting fleeced by people who offer to clear off the roof for a high price. She recommends connecting with social or community groups for help, and not relying on strangers who are selling their services for a high price.
If a high-risk flat roof is snowed-under, there is no substitute for shoveling it off. But Mrs. Katauskas warns to be extra cautious under such circumstances.
“Getting people on a roof is dangerous—I don’t care how young and agile you are,” says Mrs. Katauskas. She says some people tether themselves to something stable in case part of the roof collapses while they are shoveling.
In the coming days, snowfall from southeastern Pennsylvania to much of the New York metro area is predicted to range from 12 to 18 inches. Falling temperatures and drifting snow will increase the danger of freezing, especially in places where slush turns to ice.
Airlines and mass transit carriers are canceling or delaying service due to the weather.
The blizzard is expected to have run its course by Thursday, but blowing and drifting snow will continue.
On Tuesday night, as the New York metro area saw snowfall, meteorologists began predicting another impending wave of bad weather as far away as Philadelphia.
Cold air combined with increasing winds, extensive blowing and drifting snow, and low visibility in some areas are contributing to the already extreme weather conditions for much of the region, according to AccuWeather.com.
But now something else is at risk—roofs. Particularly at risk are flat roofs.
“The primary concern is in the areas that got hit over the weekend in the areas that already got a lot of snow on their roofs—snow weighs a lot,” said Tom Kines, a Senior Meteorologist with Accuweather.com.
Some areas that got snow followed by rain or freezing rain are particularly at risk.
“The areas that have had a lot of snow but also are getting rain, the snow kind of absorbs the rain and adds more weight,” said Kines, who adds that the extra stress of the weight on the roof can cause them to cave in.
Kines says the best remedy is simply to get up on the roof and remove as much snow as possible to alleviate the weight.
“What you’ve got to do is get up there and shovel it off. It’s typically a problem with roofs that have less pitch (flatter),” said Kines.
Particularly if a roof is flat, it’s necessary to remove snow from the roof for safety. Roofs with a pitch can also be at risk, especially if ice dam or snow loading occurs.
Ice dam is when a ridge of ice forms at the edge of a roof, preventing melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. The water then backs up behind the ice dam and can leak inside a house, damaging walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Snow loading occurs when the downward force on structures from the weight of accumulated snow threatens certain areas of the roof. A building’s roof is subject to the greatest weight, temperature, and moisture extremes. Older buildings can be particularly vulnerable to structural problems.
For Pat and Leonard Katauskas, the weather woes of the east coast have been a boon to business. The Katauskas sell a patented product invented by Mr. Katauskas called the MinnSNOWta Roof Razor, which safely removes snow from roofs without damaging the structure. The small, family-owned and operated business has had a heavy increase in phone calls, inquiries, and Internet orders in the past few days. But in some cases it’s a challenge to get the product to consumers.
“We’re sending our product out left and right and everywhere in between,” said Mrs. Katauskas by phone from Minnesota. “The delivery time is difficult because airports are closed.”
In the past few days they’ve had dozens of orders from Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia.
“This type of product is a crisis product—you don’t think about buying something like this in August,” she said.
Mrs. Katauskas warns that without the ability to get snow off a roof by oneself, there could be a risk of vulnerable homeowners getting fleeced by people who offer to clear off the roof for a high price. She recommends connecting with social or community groups for help, and not relying on strangers who are selling their services for a high price.
If a high-risk flat roof is snowed-under, there is no substitute for shoveling it off. But Mrs. Katauskas warns to be extra cautious under such circumstances.
“Getting people on a roof is dangerous—I don’t care how young and agile you are,” says Mrs. Katauskas. She says some people tether themselves to something stable in case part of the roof collapses while they are shoveling.
In the coming days, snowfall from southeastern Pennsylvania to much of the New York metro area is predicted to range from 12 to 18 inches. Falling temperatures and drifting snow will increase the danger of freezing, especially in places where slush turns to ice.
Airlines and mass transit carriers are canceling or delaying service due to the weather.
The blizzard is expected to have run its course by Thursday, but blowing and drifting snow will continue.
