Alright, so the other day I had this brilliant idea to finally get around to cleaning the leaves and gunk off my garage roof. I figured, “Hey, how hard can it be?” Turns out, harder than I thought, especially without the right tools. That’s when I discovered the wonders of a roofing shovel.
Getting Started
First, I tried using a regular garden shovel. Big mistake. It was awkward, heavy, and I felt like I was going to damage the shingles. I spent about ten minutes awkwardly poking at leaves and realized this wasn’t going to work.
So, I stopped by the local hardware store. After looking around the isles, I asked the store clerk and he pointed me to the roofing shovels. They looked kind of like a flattened, wider shovel with a notched edge. I grabbed one that felt sturdy but not too heavy.
The Actual Work
Back home, I carefully climbed up the ladder, roofing shovel in hand. The difference was immediately noticeable. The wider blade made it way easier to scoop up large amounts of leaves and debris. The notched edge? That was a game-changer. It helped to get under the shingles slightly, lifting the debris without damaging them.
- Scooping: Instead of trying to dig, I used the shovel more like a giant dustpan. I slid it along the roof, collecting the leaves and twigs.
- Lifting: For the more stubborn stuff stuck under the shingles, I gently used the notched edge to lift and loosen it.
- Disposing: I carefully tossed the debris into a large garbage bag I had set up below. Made sure not to overload the bag, because that’s just asking for trouble.
Lessons Learned
It still took a good chunk of the afternoon, but the roofing shovel made the job so much easier and faster than it would have been otherwise. My back definitely thanked me for not using that garden shovel!
So, if you’re planning on cleaning your roof, do yourself a favor and get a roofing shovel. Trust me, it’s worth it.
