West Seneca, NY - With the weight of several feet of snow bearing down on the roofs of homes and businesses, some contracting crews were scrambling today to remove the bulk of it from some houses.
Roofing contractors like William C. Rott and Son say they've been extremely busy today. On Delray Avenue in West Seneca a crew was working to get the snow off a roof which is above a family room where they already saw some cracks in the ceiling.
The homeowner, Dick Wohlfeil says "I noticed a couple of cracks that I never had before and where the beams are, I could see a very slight separation on the color maybe about where the beam was stained underneath it."
Dick Wohlfeil says he's lived here 40 years and has never seen this much snow. And after noticing those interior problems he knew it was time to call in some help to remove roughly five feet or snow or more.
What are the tell tale signs you may have a problem? Crew Chief Steve Hopkins of Rott Contractors says "Make sure they're not hearing any cracks in the roof, make sure the icicles aren't pulling apart at the gutter."
The freeze-thaw cycle in the coming week with the rain could make the snow even heavier or even lead to the dreaded ice dams which allows moisture to seep into the walls and cause leaks.
So some folks are trying to do this by themselves but that could be dangerous. Even these crews have to watch their steps on that slippery roof. Steve Hopkins says "Just not knowing what's underneath you. Skylights, pipes, some tripping hazards where the drifts are."
So the option to pay for peace of mind even if homeowners insurance may not apply. Wohfeil says "They wouldn't cover the removal of the snow but they said 'Thanks' for getting the professionals because they would rather not have to pay to replace the family room."
The roofing contractors say after they get the snow off the roof, they may have to inspect that roof. And they say it's a possibility that some may have to be replaced even during these winter months.
