Alternatives to Roof Rakes

Plastic Slide Tools

• Plastic slide tools serve the same function as roof rakes, allowing you to remove snow from the ground. Instead of having a flat head that pulls snow down, they have large, flexible plastic sheets. The sheets are suspended from metal frames. When you slide the sheet beneath rooftop snow, using wheels mounted on the tool's frame, the smooth surface separates the snow from the roof and causes the snow to slide down. Tools that have plastic slides require less effort to use than roof rakes.

Snow Shovels

• If you can access your roof safely, you may use a basic snow shovel to remove a great deal of snow. Using a snow shovel with a plastic blade won't damage roof shingles, and using a snow shovel with a broad blade will remove snow more quickly than using a shovel with a narrower blade. If using a shovel requires you to climb a ladder or walk on a snowy roof, however, then the danger of falling may make other tools better options.

Snow Cutters

• Snow cutters resemble roof rakes, but they have a large blade at each end of the head. The blades cut snow into sections that are as wide as the tool, allowing them to be pulled down. The cutting blades make using snow cutters effective on snow that has an icy coating, which roof rakes can do little to break up and remove.

Construction Solutions

• Constructing a roof so that snow can't build up on it is another alternative to using roof rakes. Roofs with extremely steep slopes make if difficult for snow to accumulate in quantity, eliminating the need to remove it manually. A more complex, expensive solution is to install a roof heater system, which warms the roof to melt snow and ice as it falls or just after it accumulates.