Mother nature dumped a foot of snow just yesterday on parts of southern New Hampshire that were still cleaning up two feet of snow from last week's storm. Now, local officials are warning residents that this amount of snow can be dangerous.
The State Fire Marshal's Office says once you get more than a foot of snow on your roof, it's time to clear it off.
That's how NECN found Plaistow resident Sharon Spires. She was shoveling the snow that she had cleared from her roof.
"If the ice dams back up, they'll come through your roof and wreck everything inside," Spires said. "We have lived here for forty years and we have had that happen in the past."
Paul Sickel owns Westville Supply, a hardware store in Plaistow that's been around for 50 years.
"These are very popular right now," Sickel said pointing to the roof rakes.
He says the rakes, along with shovels and salt are flying off the shelves.
New Hampshire
The latest news from around the state
"Last Monday was our busiest day of the year," Sickel said.
He advised homeowners that in temperatures as low as this, there's really only one way to melt the ice.
"The Calcium Chloride won't refreeze until -25 degrees," Sickel said.
Meanwhile, Plaistow Fire Chief John McArdle says you need to shovel out at least two exits from your home in case of a fire.
He's also warning residents what will happen if you don't shovel out your vents.
"You can actually start to recirculate the exhaust back into the house and have a CO situation, which we don't want to have, and that's why you have a CO detector," he said.
McArdle says check your batteries every year and get a new detector every ten. It's a lifesaving message that's close to his heart.
"Just about a year ago we had three residents that succumbed to CO in their home," McArdle said. "It was unfortunate."
The tragedy happened last February on Center Circle and neighbors will never forget it.
"You know these people and all of a sudden, you come home and they passed away because of carbon monoxide poisoning," said neighbor Bob Hoppler. "It's shocking."
But here in Plaistow, with the threat of more snow by the end of the week, people are finding ways to stay positive.
"Before you know it pitchers report in three weeks and baseball starts and that's spring," said Bob Lang, Jr. who was snow blowing his driveway... again.
Officials say you should never climb onto your roof to shovel it off or spread salt so here is a trick. Sickle tells NECN that you can put calcium chloride into a knee-high nylon, tie it up, and throw it onto the roof. It will melt away a channel and prevent ice dams at your gutter.
