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Snow collapsing patio cover
Posted on 1/20/25 at 5:51 am
Posted on 1/20/25 at 5:51 am
My patio cover won’t hold the amount of snow projected. I’m thinking of putting a tarp over it and then drag the tarp off once it starts to sag. Any of you try something like this before?
12
Posted on 1/20/25 at 7:18 am to BitBuster
That might work. Only problem might be judging when to pull the tarp and if the snow makes it too heavy to pull.
But that's a good idea. May be a lot of flat roof structures that fail from people not thing about it.
But that's a good idea. May be a lot of flat roof structures that fail from people not thing about it.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 7:35 am to BitBuster
Go get some 2x4s and build a temporary wall down the middle.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 7:36 am to Turnblad85
Too heavy to pull is something I’m considering too. That and 20mph wind rendering the tarp useless.
Plan B would be turning on my tall propane patio heater with the hope of keeping it hot enough to melt whatever lands. With the amount forecast that may be useless as well.
Plan B would be turning on my tall propane patio heater with the hope of keeping it hot enough to melt whatever lands. With the amount forecast that may be useless as well.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 8:03 am to BitBuster
quote:
Too heavy to pull is something I’m considering too. That and 20mph wind rendering the tarp useless.
Yeah wind could make it a bear too. But the patio cover is worth atleast a grand??$$ I'd give something a try no matter what. May even be possible to yank the tarp off when it gets an inch or so and see how hard it is to pull. Then put it back up and take off based on how heavy the previous amount was.
Though depending your abilities/age, getting up on ladders in a snow storm can be sketchy and you may be better off taking chances with just the propane heater.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 8:40 am to BitBuster
quote:
Snow collapsing patio cover
Yeah be careful with those things. We had a guy in our hunting club get killed in Shreveport about 3 or 4 years ago in a big snow event. He was without power and went out to grab some firewood and his patio collapsed on him. It crushed his leg and he died in the hospital after surgery.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 9:35 am to BitBuster
I'm worried about this as well. I have a push broom with a hole in the handle. I was planning to tie a rope to my broom, climb up a step ladder, throw the broom up to the roof edge and drag the snow down periodically. I imagine it can handle an inch or two, but not the 10"-12" they're forcasting. If I can get some of that snow load off while it's still soft and not frozen solid, I'd be happy. I also have a 4-wheeler. I could potentially throw a 2x4 with some rope tied to each end and drag it off with my 4-wheeler.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 10:19 am to lowhound
Snow Load Calculator
Fresh snow is lighter than wet settled snow. If you can get it off relatively soon, you should be ok. For example, my 15' x 15' patio covered with 8" of ordinary fresh snow only has 538 lbs of extra weight, whearas 8" of settled snow is 2,341 lbs
Fresh snow is lighter than wet settled snow. If you can get it off relatively soon, you should be ok. For example, my 15' x 15' patio covered with 8" of ordinary fresh snow only has 538 lbs of extra weight, whearas 8" of settled snow is 2,341 lbs
Posted on 1/20/25 at 10:30 am to BitBuster
Not sure if you have a propane patio heater but could put that on low heat and elevate it closer to patio ceiling with a box or something. Keep the ceiling warm and melting. 
Posted on 1/20/25 at 12:03 pm to Baers Foot
I think I’m gonna go with a combination of propane heater and sweeping. Propane in the middle and sweeping the sides.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 1:37 pm to BitBuster
Damn, I made that suggestion without reading ahead and seeing you already listing that as an option. Total Chad move.
Good luck baw
Good luck baw
Posted on 1/20/25 at 2:22 pm to BitBuster
I'm worried for the same reason but mine is enclosed and I have a split unit with heat. I'm thinking of running the heat on high.
Posted on 1/20/25 at 4:44 pm to BitBuster
You only get one pull. Better make it count 
Posted on 1/20/25 at 9:43 pm to BitBuster
What if you climbed on a ladder and sprayed the snow with water from a hose pipe? Would the water be warm enough to melt the snow and have it drain off the cover?
Posted on 1/21/25 at 6:07 am to BitBuster
Might be a little late but why not build a couple strong back supports from a couple 2x4’s and shore up the center portion.
Posted on 1/21/25 at 9:51 am to BitBuster
Well, did you do it? My patio cover is loaded and now I’m worried about. Glad I saw this thread because I didn’t think about it before.
Posted on 1/21/25 at 10:34 am to Pezzo
I just did mine with a rake and it was a lot easier than I was expecting
Posted on 1/21/25 at 12:12 pm to BitBuster
If you have a backpack blower with some power to it you can probably blow some of the snow off if it hasn’t melted to ice yet.
Posted on 1/21/25 at 6:47 pm to Pezzo
Didn’t do tarp but that may have worked.
Patio heater didn’t do squat. Ended up turning it off after an hour.
Snow was fluffy and dry, so I decided to do nothing after reading the snow load calculator.
Went up and cleared it off with a plastic fan rake rake as soon as it stopped snowing.
Still a ton of snow up on the roof. Hoping that doesn’t avalanche off all at once. Otherwise I’m good. Thanks for all the advice.
Patio heater didn’t do squat. Ended up turning it off after an hour.
Snow was fluffy and dry, so I decided to do nothing after reading the snow load calculator.
Went up and cleared it off with a plastic fan rake rake as soon as it stopped snowing.
Still a ton of snow up on the roof. Hoping that doesn’t avalanche off all at once. Otherwise I’m good. Thanks for all the advice.
Posted on 1/21/25 at 7:36 pm to BitBuster
Use a leaf blower.
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