It's been a while since we've seen such snow accumulation in Eastern Maine. And while we did have some last week, this round of snow is not the light and fluffy kind.

As many Mainers know, with wet and heavy snow, it's best to make sure it doesn't pile up on your roof. Heavy wet snow can lead to leaks, but it also has the potential to fall onto the ground below, or even worse, onto anyone standing below.

That's why the folks at Bangor Tire Company in Hermon sent one of their trusty employees, Tommy Tardiff, out to clear the snowfall from the front awning.

Tardiff, by his own admission, is not the world's tallest man and struggled at first with effectively removing the snow from the area ... until he changed his technique.

"The normal scrapping motion of the roof rake wasn’t cutting it. So I turned it sideways like an ax, as [you] can see it did the trick."

Unfortunately for Tardiff, it may have worked too well.

Thankfully, aside from a face full of cold, wet snow, Tardiff was no worse for the wear and made his way inside to warm up.

"I laughed out loud and thought that went better than expected. Not even a minute after the plow came through so I got out of the cleanup. "

While Tardiff's technique was successful in the end, it's a good reminder of just how fast that snow can make its way down on top of you.

The pros at at Maine.gov have a list of things you may want to keep in mind when you head out to clear the snow from your roof, that might save you from getting covered in snow.

"Consider hiring professionals to do the job. The combination of heights plus ice makes this one of the more dangerous house chores. If you choose to do the task yourself, have someone outside with you to assist -- and to remind you not to take dangerous risks."

Man removing snow from a garage roof with rake.
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"Remember that any snow that comes down can come down on you, so stand well back and rake small amounts at a time."

Man using a snow rake to remove snow from garage roof in Michigan.
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"SAY NO to using an open-flame device to remove snow and ice. An open flame can damage roofs and gutters and even set your house on fire, definitely going from bad to worse."

Thomas Etzkorn/Townsquare Media Hudson Valley
Thomas Etzkorn/Townsquare Media Hudson Valley
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There are a bunch of other handy tips including signs that your roof may be in distress thanks to heavy snowfall. Click here to check the rest of them out.

And stay safe out there!

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