Removing snow from your property is an important winter task. It keeps emergency exits and pathways accessible and safe, and it can prevent blocked vents and drains, water infiltration, and other damage to your home.
This guide draws on Ontario’s snow-loading alert, the federal snow-and-ice clearing guide, Natural Resources Canada’s roof and attic guidance, and Insurance Bureau of Canada’s ice-dam guidance. It covers clearing priorities, when roof snow requires professional or engineering review, ice-dam prevention, local regulations, and how home insurance may address common winter losses.
What Should Homeowners Clear After Snow?
Clear all necessary exits, walkways to the street, any steps outside the house and any sidewalk you are responsible for. Uncover furnace, water-heater and dryer intakes or exhausts. Clear gas meters and regulators. Also remove snow from drains, downspouts, window wells, and areas where meltwater is directed away from your home’s foundation. Do not pile snow where it can impair visibility or block access to fire hydrants and utility equipment. Keep snowbanks away from places where roof snow or ice could fall on a person. Follow local regulations about waste disposal.
When to call a professional
A roof rake used from the ground may be reasonable for small amounts of snow when you can stand clear. Do not go onto the roof. Call a qualified professional to remove drifted or excessively heavy snow from your roof. Never attempt to clear an area near power lines. Do not rake so close that you damage shingles or flashing. Ice, flat or complicated roofs, hard-to-reach areas and signs of structural movement mean it’s time to call in the pros.
Know your responsibilities
Snow removal rules vary from one Canadian municipality to the next. Check your local bylaws for information on when to remove snow from sidewalks and other areas, where to pile snow, hydrant and garbage rules, and other regulations.
What’s The Risk Of Not Removing Snow On Time?
Slip And Falls
Snow packed down on steps, walkways and common areas can eventually turn to ice.
Liability issues are dependent on the circumstances and provincial law.
Read More: See How Personal Liability Insurance May Apply to a Slip and Fall
Traffic Accidents
Store snow where it will not obscure sightlines when pulling into the street. Tall piles at a driveway or corner can conceal bicyclists, pedestrians, or other drivers.
Do not push or blow snow into the travelled part of the roadway. Store snow removed from driveways and other private property off the roadway.
Blocked Emergency Access
Keep any fire-department connection visible. Ensure secondary exits, civic numbers, driveways and main entrances are clearly visible and accessible.
Removing the snow around fire hydrants in a public area is normally the municipality’s responsibility. However, you should not pile your own snow onto hydrants in a public area. Report any inaccessible hydrants to the municipality.
Drainage And Foundation Water
If drains are buried or the ground slopes inward toward your home, meltwater could seep in around basement windows and foundation walls. Clear snow from window wells and drains. Redirect meltwater away from the foundation, but not onto a neighbour’s property or a public walkway.
Recognizing Early Signs Your Roof Is Under Stress
Ontario advises that snow depth is not a reliable indicator of structural safety. Newly fallen, dry snow weighs about seven pounds per cubic foot. Old compacted snow can reach about 30 pounds per cubic foot. Heavy or saturated snow, drifting, rainfall, roof shape, the building’s age/condition/history, previous modifications, and local loading are all important considerations when determining how much snow can be placed on a roof before causing problems. Localized snow loads can be particularly dangerous.
Watch for roof or ceiling sagging, excessive bending, partial collapse, or other signs the roof is about to give way, including loud or sudden noises that indicate structural movement. In these circumstances, evacuate the building and keep it empty.
Leaks or new staining on ceilings. These can indicate roof or ice dam problems, but they do not, by themselves, prove structural failure. If there is leakage, protect the area from electrical contact. Take pictures or make notes, and arrange a prompt roof assessment.
If there is a risk of imminent collapse, call emergency services. Otherwise, call a structural engineer who can assess loading and develop a removal plan. Never place workers at risk by sending them onto a roof that could be overloaded, and recognize that removing snow in the wrong way can increase the loads and stresses on a roof.
Read More: See How Roof Damage and Replacement Relate to Home Insurance
How To Safely Remove Roof Snow
- Check for ice and snow buildup along valleys, roof edges, skylights, vents, or other protrusions, and watch for drifting, power lines, and any other concerns. Perform all inspections from the ground, never from the roof.
- Clear an area beneath your work zone of people, pets, and cars. Snow can unexpectedly come loose from a roof.
- Use a roof rake from stable footing on the ground. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never use your roof rake in a way that could bring it into contact with power lines. Stop using a roof rake when you cannot comfortably and safely reach your roof.
- Remove small amounts of snow at a time. Don’t dig trenches, remove snow in an uneven pattern, or scrape your roof clean. Stop when ice is bonded to the roof. Stop when snow comes off the roof in an uneven, unpredictable fashion.
Call a properly insured roof-snow contractor if:
- Your roof is flat.
- You encounter ice on your roof.
- You see drifting or sheets of ice.
- Your roof is high or has a complicated design.
- Your roof has solar panels.
- Snow removal requires roof or ladder access.
- Federal guidelines indicate snow removal at depths of 15 to 30 cm, but this is a maintenance prompt, not a universal structural threshold. A wet drift can be more serious than deeper powder spread evenly. No hard-and-fast guideline exists, so call a professional if you have questions or concerns.
Ice Dams Need A Different Fix
Ice dams form when escaping heat melts the snow blanket on your roof, which then refreezes as it hits the cold eaves.
To avoid damaging your roof, don’t pour hot water over ice dams, chip them with an ice pick or axe or scrape them with a sharp shovel.
It’s OK to remove the snow from the roof’s perimeter, but only from the ground and only when it’s safe. Protect the area below.
If there’s a lot of ice and it’s bonded to the roof, especially if there’s an active leak, call a roofer.
The best way to prevent ice dams is to ensure your home is well-insulated, has an airtight attic, adequate, unrestricted ventilation.
How Home Insurance May Treat Snow And Meltwater Damage
| Loss | Possible policy treatment | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden roof damage or collapse from snow load | Damage or even a sudden collapse of a roof caused by snow load may be covered if snow or weight of ice is an insured peril. | Covered peril, exclusions, deductible and resulting-damage wording |
| Water entering because of an ice dam | Depending on policy terms, water intrusion due to an ice dam may be covered, optional or limited. | Ice-damming or roof-water wording and roof-maintenance conditions |
| Surface meltwater entering at ground level | Often depends on optional overland-water coverage | Definition of surface water, limits, waiting periods and deductible |
| Gradual leakage, wear or neglected maintenance | Issues of maintenance or deterioration are generally not covered by insurance. Slow leaks, wear and neglected maintenance may also be excluded. | How the insurer separates the damaged property from the failed or worn component |
| Visitor slips on snow or ice | Personal-liability coverage may respond to allegations of liability. | Liability limit, deductible, exclusions and notice duties |
Take pictures of your damaged property and the conditions. Take reasonable measures to prevent further damage as long as you can do so in a safe manner. Keep all invoices and receipts. Call your insurer or broker promptly. Don’t throw away damaged building components or personal effects until they’ve been inspected and your insurer tells you you can dispose of them.
Read More: See How Home Insurance Treats Different Water Losses
When To Hire A Professional (And What To Ask For)
- What fall protection will be used? Do they carry liability insurance? Do they have workers’ compensation coverage where required?
- What measures will be taken to ensure the roof isn’t being loaded unevenly, to address hazards (power lines, solar, skylights, etc.) and to ensure snow isn’t coming down on people?
- Does your roof need a roofer or structural engineer to inspect it for distress before snow is removed?
- Where will they put the snow? Ensure walkways, doors, vents, drains, utility connections and hydrants aren’t being blocked.