Roofs feeling the pressure as the snow piles up

Erik Clement of Norwich has been working 10- to 12-hour days this winter removing ice and snow from the roofs of local homes, and now another winter storm today could add to the burden - on him and on the homes he serves.

"It's pretty treacherous," Clement said Monday. "It's not an easy job."

And with predictions of the storm today bringing more snow before turning to ice and possibly freezing rain Wednesday, the extra burden on roofs could be a real problem, local snow-removal contractors said. Some home-owners are worried whether insurance will cover their damages, they added.

Joe Johnson of Plainfield, who has been doing work in the Norwich area, said the possibility of snow turning to solid ice is not a good omen for roofs that are structurally unstable, most commonly those over porches. It's possible, he said, that homeowners will need contractors to use propane torches to melt the ice and lighten the load - at a cost beyond the $150 to $250 most people currently are being quoted to remove snow from their roofs.

"I think the ice will be worse than the snow," said Thor Colter, who runs Decor Home Improvements of Norwich.

Snow-removal contractors said the biggest problem so far has been the amount of snow, which on the north-facing side of some roofs totals three to four feet deep. For an average-size roof, this could mean 20,000 pounds of pressure weighing on a home, according to contractors, and an extra layer of ice could double that burden and lead to roof collapses.

"The ice is hard to get at," said Clement of Erik's Snow Removal. "You have to chip that."

At particular risk are flat roofs, mostly on ranch and raised-ranch homes, as well as mobile homes, some of which are not designed to withstand heavy loads, contractors said. Older homes are more at risk of collapse than those built to modern specifications, they added.

Some contractors, including Clement, said they normally use a ladder and roof rake to ease the load atop houses, while others believe getting up on the roof and using shovels is the best way to go. Contractors need to use harnesses or ropes and pack boots to assure their safety when up on the roof, they said.

Some people have mentioned putting heaters in their attic to ward off accumulating snow, but contractors don't recommend doing so. The chance of a fire is too great, they said.

One of the biggest effects of the large accumulation of snow this year has been gutters filled with ice, said Colter of Decor Home Improvements. While the ice dams will damage gutters, there is little homeowners can do to d eal with the problem.

"You just have to wait for it to melt," he said.

But waiting may not be a good option for the roof, said contractors, because the more weight that accumulates, the greater the chance of long-term damage.

And that leads homeowners to the question of insurance: How long can they let snow and ice build up before they become liable for any damage that occurs?

The answer, according to the state Insurance Department's Consumer Affairs Unit, may depend on one's individual insurance as well as on the type of roof involved.

Gerard O'Sullivan, program manager for Consumer Affairs and a resident of Montville, said his department has been receiving many calls about insurance claims related to this season's winter storms. He tells consumers they are required to try to mitigate damages but they can't be forced to do something dangerous, such as crawl out on an ice-infested roof.

On the other hand, he said, anyone with a flat roof who presumably knows these are most at risk of collapsing under excessive weight might be expected to take measures to deal with the problem.

"You should do what a prudent person would do," O'Sullivan said.

Insurance normally will cover any sudden and direct damage, he added, but coverage can be denied if a homeowner ignores a problem over a period of time.

O'Sullivan said most of the consumer complaints he has received so far this season have involved long lag times between filing a claim and having an adjuster view the damage. Insurance companies are responding, he said, by hiring additional adjusters to clear up the backlog.

O'Sullivan urged consumers to call his department at (860) 297-3900 or go to the website www.ct.gov/cid if they are having any problems with an insurance claim.

l.howard@theday.com