Getting Snow & Ice Off the Roof

[firebuild]

As I mentioned elsewhere, I have decided to ask all the dumb questions I have ever wanted to ask but didn't for fear of looking like an idiot. This way, new people will have all the answers with a search instead of having to advertise that they don't know things. Turns out I don't really mind looking like an idiot! So here is another one:

My roof is 9'6" high. Yes, I have a ladder, and yes, I have a broom. I have a scraper, but it's pretty short. I'm 5 feet tall. I cannot seem to get this icy snow off my roof! it is basically relatively soft snow covered with a hard crust of ice. My fear is that if I drive with this up here it's going to crash off the roof onto someone's windshield and cause an accident.

I have this telescoping scraper thingamajig on order with Amazon but delivery is a few days out, and I need to drive today.

[one_eyed_jack]

If there happens to be one in your neighborhood, the safest thing for you, may be a truck wash. The better ones have a cat walk down both sides of the bay so you can get up high and spray that roof.

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by one_eyed_jack

If there happens to be one in your neighborhood, the safest thing for you, may be a truck wash. The better ones have a cat walk down both sides of the bay so you can get up high and spray that roof.

Ah, great idea but closest is 15 or so miles. I'll head over there and hope for the best on the way unless I find another idea.

[BlackJohn]

In your driveway, throw a rope down the center of the bus and tie one end to a bumper. Walk the other end to the sides of the bus and if you can move forward too. That cuts under the snow, minimal damage and most snow will slide off. A few hard brakes will send the rest sliding but on your hood and windshield. It shows you at least made an attempt. Up here it is a fine for not removing snow on vehicles.


John

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by BlackJohn

In your driveway, throw a rope down the center of the bus and tie one end to a bumper. Walk the other end to the sides of the bus and if you can move forward too. That cuts under the snow, minimal damage and most snow will slide off. A few hard brakes will send the rest sliding but on your hood and windshield. It shows you at least made an attempt. Up here it is a fine for not removing snow on vehicles.


John

Great idea!!!!! Now to find a rope....

There's probably a fine here, too, there's a fine for everything.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by one_eyed_jack

If there happens to be one in your neighborhood, the safest thing for you, may be a truck wash. The better ones have a cat walk down both sides of the bay so you can get up high and spray that roof.

Can you either: (1) explain what to expect at the truck wash, or (2) post a youtube link?


For example:


Before I ever pulled my bus into a truck stop for fuel the first time, I checked out a youtube video that showed someone doing that in his class A. I'm soooo glad I did. I didn't realize that there were pumps on both sides, and you had to trigger the left before the right would work (my fuel port is only on the right, had to lay the left side nozzle on the ground while I fueled). Had I not watched that video, I would have been forever scratching my head why things weren't working....


Thank you!

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by firebuild

Great idea!!!!! Now to find a rope....

There's probably a fine here, too, there's a fine for everything.

You'll get the hang of it quick, but stay out of the way too. Can be heavy and icy.
An old clothesline works as well, the one covered in plastic.



Pack it an a bag and carry it in winter.


John

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Can you either: (1) explain what to expect at the truck wash, or (2) post a youtube link?


For example:


Before I ever pulled my bus into a truck stop for fuel the first time, I checked out a youtube video that showed someone doing that in his class A. I'm soooo glad I did. I didn't realize that there were pumps on both sides, and you had to trigger the left before the right would work (my fuel port is only on the right, had to lay the left side nozzle on the ground while I fueled). Had I not watched that video, I would have been forever scratching my head why things weren't working....


Thank you!

So the next time pull in from the other direction.

Don't feel bad, I ran into the same issue on one of my first fuels stops.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by o1marc

So the next time pull in from the other direction.

ohhhhhh, then it be sure that I'd get a real talking to by the truckers.... From the looks of 'em I don't think I would want that kind of dressing-down - especially in front of my kids....

Originally Posted by o1marc

Don't feel bad, I ran into the same issue on one of my first fuels stops.

We're all noobs at some point. I just want to climb out before it kills me (or my wife does)....

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

ohhhhhh, then it be sure that I'd get a real talking to by the truckers.... From the looks of 'em I don't think I would want that kind of dressing-down - especially in front of my kids....





We're all noobs at some point. I just want to climb out before it kills me (or my wife does)....

There were many gas stations I stopped at that were not truck stops, but still had the both side filling option. It didn't matter at those places which direction you pulled in from.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by o1marc

There were many gas stations I stopped at that were not truck stops, but still had the both side filling option. It didn't matter at those places which direction you pulled in from.

Ah, I was thinking of the Flying J truck stop by me, not a car-style pump island....

[one_eyed_jack]

Originally Posted by BlackJohn

In your driveway, throw a rope down the center of the bus and tie one end to a bumper. Walk the other end to the sides of the bus and if you can move forward too. That cuts under the snow, minimal damage and most snow will slide off. A few hard brakes will send the rest sliding but on your hood and windshield. It shows you at least made an attempt. Up here it is a fine for not removing snow on vehicles.


John

Great tip John. Never would have thunk of that one!

[ermracing]

Just drive it down Storrow Drive, it will take off the snow for sure.....

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by one_eyed_jack

Great tip John. Never would have thunk of that one!

Thanks one_eyed_jack.



I, even get my grandkids to do it, one down each side with the rope, pulling, falling havinn a great old time while I sit in by the stove. Works for me and them...


John

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by ermracing

Just drive it down Storrow Drive, it will take off the snow for sure.....

LOL.

Well I did the rope method along with a broom, and did pretty well, too - then I headed out and saw that EVERYONE had 3 inches on snow on their roof. Big trucks, little cars - no one else had bothered. Oh well. At least my side of the street - er, roof - is clean.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by BlackJohn

You'll get the hang of it quick, but stay out of the way too. Can be heavy and icy.
An old clothesline works as well, the one covered in plastic.



Pack it an a bag and carry it in winter.


John

You can take this method one step further, if you employ the clothesline and a couple crimps for each end. Then you simply add 2 carabineers into the mix and viola. now you can quickly clip it on one end, and the other end now has a handle. Plus if the off season you have a fairly simple clothesline that can be setup anywhere, or a siltarp/awning guywire.

As they say in the Air Force, flexibility is the key to air power.

if you want a more stationary tool, look into a "roof rake" they typically come on a telescopic pole, or a sectional pole
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ords=roof+rake

up here we typically use the $40 one but our snow is light n fluffy. where icing and wet snow are concerned not sure how they would hold up. but they do work better than a broom.

it's one of those catch 22 things, the snow provides insulation while parked, however the more snow on top of the layer touching the bus the more it is also insulated from the outside air temp (OAT) at that point then the heat loss through the roof affects the snow touching the bus even more. then you get a layer of ice....with a layer of wet crusty ice atop that.
So depending once again on how long you'll be parked and what the temps are, and how much heat loss your roof has it may be more beneficial to leave it as oppose to clearing it progressively throughout the snowfall.
trial and error once again till you balance out your level of effort against the desired outcome.

[cadillackid]

ive had the truck stop thing.. I just lay the hose on the ground.. when im in the short bus I can fit in the auto-diesel spots most times..



the worst is when I was in a 35 foot gasoline bus.. most truck stops dont have gasoline at their big-boy pumps .. couple places had RV pumps.. but otherwise it was tricky at times..
-Christopher

[Roberta's Man]

If you have things like solar panels, antennae, etc. up there, that could be dangerous.

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by Roberta's Man

If you have things like solar panels, antennae, etc. up there, that could be dangerous.

I will eventually have solar up there, but not yet. I'm thinking when I DO have solar, if I'm going to stick around in the snowy states, I will have to find a long retractable ladder so I can get up there and A) Cover them up when I know snow is coming; or B) Brush 'em off after those surprise storms.

[Dirtdoctor]

There is a spray silicone stuff that sheds snow off of snowplows- I used to put it on my car (70’s) snow would just slide off with a tap of the brakes- Defiantly do it backing up so you don’t dump a big pile of snow that you now have to drive over.