The big storm in Buffalo

[oldnslo]

I agree with MOkelly on where would you put the snow from the roofs. One option would be use a snow blower so it condenses the snow more but then you need one that throws it far enough so you don't over load the walls and windows on your home.

 

[dave1949]

I agree the roofs need to be cleared. But, I can't imagine how you'd go about doing that based on the picture in post #4. How do you even begin and where in the world do you put the snow? It wouldn't take much and the snow would be higher than the roof!

I cannot even imagine this sort of mess. Wow.

MoKelly

That snow will compress some when thrown by a shovel and it will compress, melt and evaporate some on it's own over time. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do but shoveling snow uphill isn't fun.

I was wondering if they build extra heavy load bearing roofs on homes in those areas.

 

[zzvyb6]

A leaf blower is effective if you can get a stepladder in place to get the process going. Better hurry before the house heat solidifies the fluffy stuff. Way back in '77. the City loaded empty gondola rail cars with the street snow and they went back to the west. They brought iron ore, coal and limestone to Bethlehem and Republic Steel plants. Now it has to go back to China.

 

[dave1949]

One of those diesel-fired hot water pressure washers might work if you start at the eaves and work your way up, don't blast up-roof under the shingles. There have been days when I sure would like to try it out. :laughing:

 

[E3A]

Some interesting pictures:
24 Pictures That Perfectly Capture How Insane The Snow Is Near Buffalo, New York

 

[E3A]

Would taking the extra 5 minutes to clean the car kill ya?

 

[s219]

I'd be really worried about large warehouse type buildings with flat roofs, or large stores, Walmarts, etc.

 

[bcp]

I was wondering if they build extra heavy load bearing roofs on homes in those areas.

From:
Buffalo's Roofs Creak After Winter Storm Dumps Seven Feet of Snow - NBC News

Because the Buffalo area is so snowy, building codes require homes and businesses to be able to handle up to 50 pounds per square foot on their roofs, which would be about as heavy as a slab of concrete 4 inches thick, structural engineer Mark Bajorek told The Associated Press.
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Another roof article:
Roofs collapse under 7 feet or more snow in Buffalo, N.Y. - The Denver Post

More than 50 people were evacuated from mobile home parks in suburban Cheektowaga and West Seneca because roofs were buckling. Bellevue Fire Department Lt. Timothy Roma said more than a dozen buildings and carports collapsed, as did a metal warehouse operated by a Christmas decorations company, where damage was estimated in the millions.

Local media reported that about 180 residents of a Cheektowaga assisted-living facility were evacuated after staff members noticed the ceiling bulging under the weight of the snow.

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Bruce

 

[dave1949]

Seven feet of snow at 16 psf would weigh 112 lbs. That is the ground snow load. I have no idea how much the Buffalo snow weighs psf. It looks fairly dense but not real wet. Given a roof pitch, shingle or metal, heated or unheated, exposed or sheltered, the ground snow load can be used to calculate the roof snow load in psf.

This is how to convert ground snow load to roof snow load:
How to Compute Roof Snow Loads | Roof Snow Load Calculator


Access Denied
"The weight of 1 foot of fresh snow ranges from 3 pounds per square
foot for light, dry snow to 21 pounds per square foot for wet, heavy snow"

 

[ztrjim]

It's crazy, my Dad lives just north of the city and he only got a couple inches...... He said about 3 miles south of him the snow is over his head..... crazy! Lake effect for the win!