Roofs collapsing in wake of 40-year storm
PORTLAND, Ore. – When Dave Hankins went to McCuddy's Landing in Scappoose Monday morning to check on the 1967 boat he and his partner had spent two years restoring, he found the 37-foot Sportfisher destroyed.
The roof over the boat slips had collapsed, and his boat had sunk. A number of other boats were damaged.
"It's hard when something like this happens," said the 59-year-old Sherwood man. "It was a hell of a lot of work, and it's gone. As far as I know, I am the only boat that sunk."
Scappoose Rural Fire District officials believe the snow load on the roof caused the collapse.
It was just one of many roofs collapsing in the wake of the biggest December storm to hit the area in 40 years.
In Boring, Cathy and Craig Weeg reported that their 125-foot by 85-foot workshop "collapsed like a deck of cards" Monday night – after everyone was already out.
A half-dozen carports at the Concord Terrace Mobile Home park in Milwaukie collapsed under the weight of snow and ice.
And in Tualatin, Eric Kornberg worried about the glass ceiling over an addition room in his house collapsing.
Many have similar fears but don't know what to do about it.
Washington County officials gave the following advice:
High-risk areas may include:
- Large open flat roofs, barrel roods, roofs with less than 30 degrees of slope, multi-level roofs, heavily insulated roofs and pre-engineered roofs on bar joists.
- Roofs with previous structural damage and those that have already experienced collapse.
- Areas shaded from direct sunlight that may cause snow to freeze into ice and increase the snow load.
Begin snow removal before it becomes critical. A rule of thumb in our lower elevations is 15 inches of snow constitutes approximately 25 pounds per square foot, which is the design load in our area.
Special care should be taken when removing snow from rooftops to prevent damage to the roof's membrane and to maintain safety. Snow removal should be done by knowledgeable, experienced employees or preferably by outside contractors.
Follow these guidelines when removing snow:
- Hire only professionals who can provide a copy of their insurance certificate.
- Sign a hold-harmless contract.
- Set up ladders and other equipment on stable ground away from slippery ice and with plenty of help for bracing.
- Do not remove snow all the way down to the roof covering.
- Use plastic shovels rather than metal.
- Use a plastic tarp to fill with snow and release over the side of the building. Watch areas where snow is landing.
- Adjust snow blowers to prevent rotating components from coming into contact with roof surface.
Critical signs of imminent failure in roofs could be:
- Visible structural sagging
- Newly cracked sheetrock
- Unusual noise
After current storm event, consider taking the following steps:
- Have the roof inspected by a civil engineer to determine the snow load that can be safely handled by the design of the roof. Identify deficiencies and repair.
- Create a roof plot plan to identify skylights, hatches, drains/scuppers, pipes, wiring, load bearing walls, etc. Include photos with the plot plan. Plot plans should be updated regularly to include any changes made to the rooftops such as added equipment.
- Keep up with preventative maintenance throughout the year to maintain the roof's integrity.
Safely monitor rooftop conditions throughout the winter during a storm to identify ice build up, snow drifts and blocked drains.
Some KATU.com readers have also advised that people should move their patio furniture, barbecues and especially vehicles a few feet away from the eves. When the ice layer under the snow melts, the whole accumulation could slide like an avalanche and cause serious damage on whatever it lands on.
