The 5 Best Roof Snow Rake Picks for Ice Removal, Tested by a Snow Expert
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Excessive roof snow can become dangerously heavy and lead to destructive ice dams. Remove some of that ice with the best roof snow rake.
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Snow-laden rooftops are an idyllic wintertime vision. However, that snow could be covering up a scenario that could have devastating consequences for your home.
As snow piles up on your roof, it acts like an insulator, trapping the heat radiating from the attic. This warmth starts to melt the snowpack’s underside, creating a layer of water. This meltwater trickles down the roof, reaching the eaves—the exposed edges that overhang the home. These eaves aren’t exposed to the attic’s warmth and are much colder, enough to turn the water back into ice.
The freezing water forms a dam at the eaves, blocking the natural flow of meltwater. This creates a pool behind the dam, which grows as more snow melts, eventually finding its way under the roof shingles and into the home. Inside, this unwelcome moisture can wreak havoc, fueling the growth of black mold, a health hazard that can cause respiratory issues. In addition, moisture rots and warps wooden structures, compromising the roof’s structural integrity. In severe cases, the water infiltrates the interior walls and ceilings, leading to structural damage and costly repairs.
Luckily, removing that snow from the roofline mitigates the risk of ice dams forming, and it’s a task best performed regularly and with a quality, telescoping snow rake.
The numerous snow roof rake options available to homeowners may seem overwhelming. Luckily, we’re here to assist and provide valuable guidance to alleviate any confusion and frustration. Here are some of the best snow rakes for your consideration.
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
Best Overall Roof Rake
Garant Telescopic Roof Rake
There were numerous well-constructed roof rake designs under evaluation, but the Garant Telescopic Roof Rake offers some compelling features that increase convenience and usability and elevate this snow rake above the competition. At its core, the Garant Telescopic Roof Rake provides a robust yet lightweight design with added amenities that include a pair of plastic push-button mechanisms to engage the extension pole to its 16-1/2 foot max reach, making it ideal for low, medium and steep sloped roofs. In addition, the push-button mechanism is designed to engage while the user’s gloves are still on, allowing hands to stay warm and dry. When extended to its maximum reach, the pole’s stability is solid with little to no wobble. The real game changer is the abrasive anti-slip coating added to the telescopic handle’s base, a noticeable improvement over uncoated aluminum or foam sleeves.
A triangular bracket stabilizes the hard plastic 24-inch by 5-inch blade, which offers a nice sweep of snow and slush with each pass. The base pole features an end cap reminiscent of the knob on a baseball bat that keeps the hand firmly planted and aids during the pull-back motion, another nice design feature.
However, all accolades aside for a quality item that can be had for less than $100, a few minor drawbacks are worth mentioning. The obvious first is the reduced reach compared to competitors’ models. Complemented by its solid design and construction, one wonders about the added performance with an additional third extension pole. The other, less obvious, is that the extensions would have benefited from light lubrication during assembly. Initially engaged, they’re a bit stiff and difficult to extract from their respective tubes. Lastly, the blade may benefit from adding wheels, which help lift the cutting edge and prevent shingle damage—an important necessity for roof maintenance.
Material: Aluminum |Â Weight:Â 4.5 lbs. | Reach: 16.5 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
- Solid design and construction
- Robust and lightweight
- Push-button mechanisms engage extensions
- Anti-slip coating
- End cap aids use
Cons
- Some assembly, tools required
- Shorter reach than competitors
- Extensions initially stiff; could use lubrication
- No wheels on the blade
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
Best Pro-Grade Snow Rake
Snowpeeler Premium Snow Roof Rake
Best Pro-Grade Snow Rake
Without a doubt, when the job requires some added muscle, you reach for the Snowpeeler Premium Snow Roof Rake. This pro’s pro tool features an innovative yet practical design for quick, efficient snow removal and ice mitigation compared to traditional snow rakes.
The Snowpeeler Premium is uniquely engineered with a large, robust 18-inch by 9-inch commercial-grade aluminum blade mounted on plastic glide pads that cut effortlessly through the heavy, wet snowpack without impacting the roof surface. On the push forward, the blade diverts snow onto a 10-foot tear-resistant plastic slide for highly efficient snow removal on the pullback motion. In addition, the Snowpeeler Premium features an adjustable 30-foot telescopic sectional handle, providing the user with unmatched versatility to protect gutters and roofs and to manage everything from low-pitch roofs to hard-to-reach valleys.
Be warned, a tool of this quality and caliber comes at a steep cost, clocking in at just under $200.
Material: Aluminum |Â Weight:Â 13.4 lbs. | Reach: 30 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
- Solid, heavy-duty construction
- 30-foot reach
- Muscles through snowpack
- Ergonomic design
Cons
- Pricey
- Fully extended, a novice user could find this difficult to handle
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
Best Plastic Blade Snow Rake
Avalanche! Snow Rake Deluxe 20
The Avalanche! Snow Rake Deluxe 20 offers sensible design, quality construction and the key features a homeowner or DIYer seeks in a durable plastic-blade roof rake, making it a must-have for snow management and ice dam mitigation. This rake requires only a few minutes of tool-free assembly. It features easy-fitting yet snug push-button aluminum connections that assemble for a maximum 20-foot reach to accommodate various roof types. The blue plastic, scooped, 24-inch by 6-inch blade allows the user to snag and pull a significant amount of snow from the roof surface with each pass. In addition, the blade features a pair of 3/8-inch-wide orange plastic wheels that raise the cutting edge about 1/4-inch off the surface, allowing it to glide quickly and cleanly across standard asphalt shingles, metal, shake, tile and solar roof surfaces.
A noteworthy addition is the inclusion of a plastic mounting rack for easy and convenient storage when the base section and four extension poles are not in use. Depending on retailer discounts, the Avalanche! Snow Rake Deluxe 20 can be had for less than $100.
Material: Aluminum |Â Weight:Â 5.8 lbs. | Reach: 20 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
- Quality construction and materials
- The plastic blade has a 20-foot reach
- Wheels provide easy glide and minimize damage
- The mountable plastic storage rack is a nice addition
Cons
- A larger blade would complement the solid construction
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
Best Entry-Level Snow Rake
Costway Roof Snow Rake
It should be noted that while the rake for this review was available through Costway for less than $70, it’s evident that this exact design is available under various brand names and price points through various retailers. The straightforward and uncomplicated features of this snow rake’s design make it an ideal entry-level implement for homeowners/DIYers who may only need to use it a handful of times throughout the winter. This snow rake features a large, 25-inch by 6-inch aluminum blade stabilized by a triangular metal bracket that moves a fair amount of snow in a single pass. A pair of black plastic, grooved wheels are mounted to the bottom equidistant from the corners and elevate the blade about 3/8 of an inch off the surface, ensuring it doesn’t snag or mar roof shingles as it passes.
Once the five push-button extensions are fully assembled, the high-grade aluminum snow rake adjusts from just over 50 inches to an impressive 20 feet in length, offering the user considerable reach for various roof pitches and designs. However, this length contributes to one of this snow rake’s most significant design drawbacks. When fully extended, the pole wobbles and bends slightly, making it difficult to maneuver and manage from the ground. This deficiency, though, lessens and becomes more manageable when one or more extensions are removed.
Lastly, some assembly is required, but an engineering degree is not required. The snow rake comes with a detailed instruction booklet translated into six languages, as well as a custom hex key and a small wrench to assist in assembly.
Material: Aluminum |Â Weight:Â 5.5 lbs. | Reach: 20 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
- Extendable, sectional design for a large coverage area
- Triangular bracket increases blade stability
- Plastic grooved wheels offer smoother, protective operation
- An attractive price point for an entry-level, light-duty snow rake
Cons
- Some assembly required
- Extension fittings were loose when fully assembled
- Considerable wobble when fully extended
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
Best for Basic Snow Removal Tasks
Snow Joe 2-in-1 Ice Scraper + Snow Broom
The Snow Joe 2-in-1 Ice Scraper may be the most user-friendly tool in our lineup. From the detailed, multilingual packaging to its compact engineering, the multipurpose ice scraper and snow broom is ideal for light-duty snow-clearing activities around the home. The Snow Joe 2-in-1 Ice Scraper’s telescoping padded handle intuitively twists and locks to extend from 33 to 52 inches. While this limited reach is not as long as some of the other options in this class, it’s lightweight, has limited wobble at full extension and features a 4-inch plastic ice-scrapper at the handle, making it the perfect implement for preventative ice dam maintenance on lower single-story eaves or from sheds and other smaller exterior buildings.
In addition, the non-marring, 7-inch by 18-inch closed-cell foam straight blade can clear snow from other surfaces, such as steps, deck and patio surfaces, windows and skylights, outdoor furniture, hot tube covers and even solar panels. Plus, it’s delicate enough to clear your car or truck’s windshield. The ice scraper on the end of the handle is also a nice feature for this task.
The Snow Joe 2-in-1 Ice Scraper is easy to assemble, includes a two-year warranty and a convenient plastic clip fixes the telescoping handle to the blade for easy storage.
Material: Aluminum |Â Weight:Â 1.2 lbs. | Reach: 52 in.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
- Easy to assemble and user-friendly
- Non-abrasive foam blade
- Well-designed for convenient storage
- Multi-surface use
Cons
- Limited Reach
- Best suited for lighter-duty snow and ice management tasks
What to Consider When Buying a Roof Snow Rake
A lot of options are available to homeowners and DIYers, so the style you ultimately choose rests on personal preference and the extent of your snow-clearing and ice-mitigation duties. Joe Palumbo, owner of The Ice Dam Guys in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been mitigating snow buildup and alleviating ice dams on roofs for the last 20 years. Today, his company provides roof-clearing services across more than three dozen states and Canada. When choosing a roof rake, Palumbo suggests seeking a model that has a decent reach, pulls snow quickly and effectively and is comfortable to use from the ground.
Plastic, metal or high-density foam can all be effective for the blade, although Palumbo prefers metal for its durability. However, he adds that stronger, higher-quality plastic and foam options equally resilient to wear and tear are now available.
In addition to pulling snow, Palumbo says the rake should not mar or scrape directly across the roof’s surface. Therefore, he prefers blades with plastic or metal wheels that allow the roof rake to glide just above the surface.
Make sure the snow rake telescopes or has enough sections to extend where you need to reach comfortably and safely from the ground. Too short, your reach is compromised, reducing how much snow you can remove. Too long, and the roof rake has the potential to become unwieldy and difficult to manage. Both scenarios increase the user’s potential to damage the roof, or worse, injure themselves.
“It’s not just the roof height that you have to consider,” Palumbo adds about the extension length. “You need to think about how far back you’ll be standing from the building when you’re using the rake.”
Why You Should Trust Us
As a veteran, award-winning journalist and experienced DIYer, I’ve covered various aspects of the professional landscape and snow and ice management industries for the last 20 years. I’m also the editor of Snow Magazine, the professional snow and ice management industry’s leading business management publication. I also serve as curriculum and education director for the Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA). In other words, I know about snow.
How We Found the Best Roof Rakes
To help readers make informed decisions about roof rake purchases, we looked at various models available. We narrowed it down to seven we wanted to try firsthand. We assembled and put these roof rakes through their paces to the best of our ability, making observations and taking detailed notes about design and unique features, material quality, ergonomics, ease of use and overall performance. These tests allowed us to draw educated conclusions and establish a “Best of” determination for five roof rakes for snow management.
FAQ
What is the best roof rake for snow removal?
A steep-pitched 12/12-pitch (the rise and run, respectively) roof is the best since gravity does most of the work, according to Palumbo. However, a 4/12 pitch is pretty popular on residential homes, and this pitch is much flatter, and snow buildup is less affected by gravity’s pull.
While composite/asphalt shingles are the most common material covering residential roofs, other options include shake, clay tile, slate and even solar tiles. However, metal covering a steeply pitched roof is the ideal scenario since it best resists snow buildup.
In addition, Palumbo assesses that, with modern construction standards, a foot of snow accumulation isn’t a critical weight issue for the average residential home. Instead, the build-up of ice dams along the eaves makes homes vulnerable to costly moisture and water infiltration issues.
What is the best way to remove snow from a roof?
Palumbo recommends making roof snow removal a regular part of your snow and ice management duties, along with shoveling and deicing your driveway and walkways. A quality roof rake with a plastic, metal or dense-foam blade is ideal for routine snow management.
“If you don’t want issues, then you’re going to make raking the snow off your roof a regular part of your winter routine,” Palumbo says. “Is it necessary to clear all the snow off your entire roof? No, it’s not something you need to consider unless it’s been an incredibly harsh winter, and you have feet of accumulation piled [on your roof].”
“Instead, you want to keep the overhangs clear, about 4 to 8 feet from the roofline,” Palumbo adds. “This area around the overhangs is where you’re most vulnerable to ice dam buildup. If you can remove the snow buildup, you can most certainly prevent disaster.”
Use roof rakes as they’re designed to perform, which is to snag snow and draw it back along the top of the roofing material and off the roof. Never use the rake to hack away at snowpack or to break up ice formations. “Often, a homeowner will use their roof rake like a garden hoe and slam it down in a chopping motion to get at snow and ice,” Palumbo says. “This only destroys the roofing material, creating more problems.”
When using a roof rake, Palumbo advises homeowners/DIYers to keep both feet firmly planted on the ground. He cautions never to climb a ladder to reach potential trouble spots on a more architecturally complex roof.
“Never get on a ladder with a roof rake; it’s just too dangerous,” Palumbo says. “If snow and ice buildup are such that you’re tempted to get up on a ladder, then it’s time to call an insured professional to handle the situation. It’s worth the expense because they have the experience of properly addressing snow and ice buildup in those situations.”
Snow accumulation might be picturesque, but it’s crucial to be vigilant about its potential impact on your roof. Take proactive steps to protect your home from these easily preventable hidden dangers. Managing snow buildup with a roof rake, particularly near the eaves, can prevent ice dams and the damage they bring.
Originally Published: October 20, 2020
