Snow jobs: Winter work

The Daily Inter Lake

If the snow in your yard or outside your business is deep, chances are the snow on your roof is deep, too.

And if it is deep enough to block the exhaust pipes for furnaces, fireplace chimneys and other combustion systems, Kalispell Assistant fire Chief DC Haas cautioned, there probably is no way for those poisonous exhaust gases to escape the building.

On buildings with flat roofs, ice buildup could block roof drain vents and add to the problems that come with heavy snow loads.

In addition, snow loads may be approaching critical weight on structures such as store-front awnings, porch overhangs, lean-to's and some carports.

Disaster could be brewing unless home and business owners clear away that snow and ice on the roof.

But use extreme caution doing preventive maintenance on or near rooftops with snow. Haas recommended contacting a private contractor or snow-removal specialist for help with any questions about rooftop snow loads.

He also asked residents to keep fire hydrants clean and readily accessible in times of heavy snowfall.

The snow claimed at least one casualty Friday: the tennis bubble at Kalispell Athletic Club.

Snow accumulated on the domed roof during several days, but the club was unable to get anyone to shovel it off, President Stan Watkins said.

"It was too dangerous to get someone up there," he said. "We were hoping for better weather."

The dome gradually sank day after day until finally, Friday morning, it dropped to the ground, snapping a steel door in half.

Watkins didn't know for certain how much snow was on top of the dome. The machinery that holds the dome in place is capable of lifting 15,000 pounds, he said.

The last time the dome failed was in the winter of 1996-'97. It cost about $42,000 to repair then, Watkins said.

He isn't sure about the cost of repairing the dome or whether he'll personally have to pay to repair it.

"We're in a quandary in that we're probably looking at a lot of out-of-pocket expense," he said. "We have insurance, but there's a high deductible."

Repairs will include fixing lights, resealing seams and removing snow, he said. He doesn't expect repairs to begin before the end of the month or when the weather improves significantly.

In warm climates, similar domes have life spans of about 12 years, Watkins said. The Kalispell Athletic Club dome has been up nearly three times that long.