TV stations are reporting roofing contractors are booked out for several days. Fire department warns
Experts say no need to shovel roofs, yet
Most can hold a snow load equivalent to 5 inches of water
Despite a record snowfall and more on the way, most homeowners don’t need to worry about clearing their roofs of snow. Not yet, anyway.
Local building codes require new buildings to hold about 30 pounds of snow per square foot, engineers said Tuesday. Roofs up to code should hold snow that equals about 5 inches of water if melted. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported that the snow on the ground in Spokane is the equivalent of about 1.4 inches of water.
The snow so far has been light and powdery. “It’s not insignificant, but it is not big” in terms of weight, National Weather Service meteorologist John Livingston said.
The snowpack is expected to grow this weekend with a storm forecast to bring wetter snow. Officials recommend keeping an eye not so much on the amount of snow, but on the weight.
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