Photo by: Susan Cronk
HOW HEAVY IS THAT SNOW?
Valdez has received our fair share of snow followed by rain, and when that happens, the fluffy stuff gets pretty heavy. You might be asking: how heavy is it, and when do I need to get my roof shoveled? According to Nathan Duval, Director of Capital Facilities for the City of Valdez, the average square foot measurement of snow on the roof of heated City buildings is between 40 to 55 pounds per square foot. According to reference.com, one cubic foot of newly fallen snow in calm conditions weighs 3.12 to 4.37 pounds and one cubic foot of damp new snow weighs 6.24 to 12.49 pounds. The density of snow varies with its dampness and other conditions. Valdez tends to be above average in the snow and rain department, so we’re no strangers to having higher than average snow loads. Back in 2012, Valdez snow loads were so heavy, that Valdez City Schools were shut down for several days as the City of Valdez advertised state-wide to hire enough people to meet the demand for shoveling. Duval said the City of Valdez often gets asked the question, “When is it time to shovel?” and his answer is “It depends on the roof type, load capacity, slope, age of the building and if the building is heated or not.” Duval said that if someone with a home or a business doesn’t have the answers to those questions or is concerned about a roof, removing snow might be a prudent decision. “If folks are going to get up and shovel a roof, be careful and take precautions to prevent falls, muscle strains, and damage to stuff in the path of falling snow,” Duval said.