Snow, Rain, Ice, Disaster

Homeowners and property owners throughout the region are now dealing the very real possibility of roof collapse.

The heavy snow, followed by recent rain, and the turning the snow into ice, has created a perfect storm of sorts for roof collapse.

Most flat roofs on Beacon Hill and in the Back Bay are built to sustain a weight of 30 pounds per square foot.

However, the high snowfall combined with the recent rain and the freezing and turning to ice of everything lying underneath the snow has caused total weight per square foot to soar astronomically to about 120 pounds per square foot in worst case scenarios on many flat roofs.

Obviously, if you are the owner of a structure with a flat roof, you had better clear the snow from it or run the risk of suffering a catastrophe.

No building is totally immune from the combination of elements weighing on them right now.

Right now, the more the snow melts, the more ice this creates, the heavier the weight on the roof and on and on.

In addition, all the melting snow seeps deep into fissures and cracks and when evening comes, and the water freezes, it expands, causing the fissures and cracks to expand as well.

Runoff in the gutters freezes and with the water having nowhere to go, it tends to run inside wherever it can.

Even the finest copper gutter systems have been made inoperative by this winter’s weather.

Warm weather would help but right now, there is only cold and danger.

Clean your flat roofs.

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