A roof rake?  Seems kind of silly, right?  Sure, until all that snow melts just enough to refreeze into ice after sunset.  Then you get ice dams – and no one wants to deal with ice dams and the water trapped behind them.  Enter the Garelick 16′ Roof Snow Rake (it is also available in a 21 foot length for those with multiple stories or steeper roofs).

We all know from childhood shoveling that snow is extremely heavy.  Since the roof rake is made of aluminum, you do not have to pull the weight of the snow plus the weight of a rake, making snow removal much easier on your back and shoulders.  The rollers on the edges of the rake ensure your singles are not damaged (though, of course, don’t push the rake “up” the roof!).  The handle is cushioned so even in cold temperatures the chill of the aluminum does not transfer through to your hands.

After a particularly bad snowstorm, you may have to take a couple passes due to the depth of the rake, but I feel if it was any deeper it would become unwieldy.  My main tip for using the roof rake is to stand as far back as possible!