The Aftermath: Work, Heat, & Roof Rakes

I don't let problems get to me so much any more. Maybe because I've learned more about what's important and what isn't, I'm calmer most of the time, more able to handle challenges that come my way.

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This was my first day back to work in almost a week, since approximately 38 inches of snow dropped from the heavens. The streets were messy and slushy and driving was slow. Most of the snowbanks were four or five feet high, with thin paths shoveled out in order to walk from the streets to the sidewalks, from the driveways to buildings.

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But the sun was high and bright today and even though the temperature was below freezing it felt warm. I was glad to be moving again, glad to see my clients. It was a nice day.

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Fast forward to tonight.

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JB and I walked into the house to find the heat off and water dripping inside our living room window.

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AARGGGGH!

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The first problem required a service call . Within a hour or so, an oil burner repair man had come and replaced a transformer (don't ask me because I don't know) and I was offering him a cup of coffee in a yellow fiesta cup.

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The second problem was more formidable. You see, all this snow has caused concerns everywhere about too much weight on roofs. Some have actually collapsed. It is the combination of heavy ice and snow that creates the risk, and our house is packed with both.

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Given that our front window had now officially taken in water, JB and I couldn't ignore that we do or might or could have a problem. There are now folks who are available for hire to clear all the snow off one's roof but, supply and demand being just that, the cost is $ 450 an hour. Holy Moly.

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JB and I hope to avoid that.

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So we were outside tonight chipping away at icicles and chipping away at four inch thick ice. We plugged in a hair dryer to an extension cord and brave JB, perched on a ladder I could not have done myself, is holding the hair dryer six feet in the air, to the ice covering our gutters, trying to melt enough so she could chip and then knock the ice off the house. For my part, I am swinging an industrial broom overhead knocking down icicles, many icicles, one by one.

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All to minimal avail.

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The oil burner repair guy reminded us that the best thing to do is to remove the first two feet of snow from all around the roof line so when the sun hits it tomorrow the remaining hopefully melting snow will be able to slide down and hopefully off. At least to some degree.

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So we borrowed a roof rake from our neighbor:
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Not the best photo, but look at how LONG a roof rake is. This is a job that requires arms overhead and the use of abdominal muscles to pull the snow forward and off the roof.

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For what it's worth, this is the thingy that pulls the snow down.

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(What has it come to, that I am writing a how-to on roof rakes?)

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So....once done, this is how a certain roof looks with two feet of snow removed. Not the neatest, perhaps, but we hope it will do the trick.
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Did I mention that we were too exhausted to do the back of the house? Did I mention that JB and I will be up and out at 6 am tomorrow morning, before work, using that roof rake once again?
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Oh dear god!
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And finally: how is it, exactly, that being outside tonight, worrying about the heat and the roof and the ice and the water inside the window, turned out to be a great way to spend a chilly beautiful night under the stars and moonlight?
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Love
kj