Snow, ice could result in roof collapse

EMA information

The Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency is reminding local homeowners and businesses that recent snow accumulations in the county are putting heavy strain on rooftops and can result in roof collapses.

Local EMA Director Rick McCoy said recent snowfall has accounted for 16.8 inches of snow, along with an inch of sleet and small amount of ice. This equates to about 25 pounds of weight per cubic foot and may be close to exceeding the load in some manufactured roofs.

McCoy recommends that commercial and residential property owners consider removing some of the snow, if they can do so safely, on roof overhangs, flat roofs and multilevel roofs where the lower roof is subject to more accumulation from snow sliding from the upper roof.

McCoy said every building is built differently and engineers design the rooftops to withstand a certain load of ice or snow. When that load is exceeded, roofs will begin to sag or bow. In extreme cases, roofs collapse. “With temperatures expected to rise above freezing this weekend, we should start to get some melting,” McCoy said, “but until then there is a considerable load on area rooftops.”