When should I rake snow off the roof in Quebec?

After any major snowfall, clear the first metre or two above the eaves — that's where ice dams form — and take the load down over entrances and low-slope sections when accumulation gets deep or turns heavy and wet. Do it from the ground with a roof rake; climbing a snowy roof is how maintenance becomes an emergency.

What is pyrite, and should Quebec homeowners worry about it?

Pyrite is a mineral found in some backfill stone used under garage and basement slabs, mainly in homes built around the 1970s–1990s in parts of the greater Montreal area. It can swell over decades and heave concrete. If a home in an affected area shows lifting or cracked slabs, a pyrite test is worth the fee — and buyers' inspectors routinely ask about it.

Homeowner guide · Quebec

Home maintenance in Quebec

Quebec maintenance is built around snow: some of the deepest urban snow loads in the country make roof raking, ice-dam prevention, and keeping vents clear genuine winter chores, not extras. Add the freeze-thaw of a long shoulder season, the legacy of the 1998 ice storm, and a large stock of older housing, and the priorities are a sealed, well-insulated attic, a managed roof, and water kept away from the foundation through a very wet spring melt.

Quebec City is among the snowiest major cities anywhere: Snow load
The ice storm that made tree and roof prep a provincial habit: 1998
Standard equipment, not a specialty tool, in most of Quebec: Roof rake

What to prioritize in Quebec

The volume of snow changes the maintenance math: what's optional elsewhere is structural in Quebec. A winter's accumulation has real weight, and a spring's melt is a real flood risk — so the roof and the drainage around the foundation are the two systems to keep ahead of.

Rake the lower roof after major snowfalls and clear heavy accumulation over entrances, porch roofs, and low-slope sections — wet snow is heavy, and ice underneath it is heavier.
Air-seal and insulate the attic — with Quebec's snow depth, an attic that leaks heat manufactures ice dams all winter.
Have wood stoves and chimneys swept annually by a certified sweep before heating season — wood heat is common and creosote is patient.
Test the sump pump and check the French drain before the melt; a Quebec spring moves a winter's worth of water in a few weeks.
Walk the foundation and masonry after the thaw — the long shoulder seasons on either side of winter are peak freeze-thaw.

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Home maintenance in Quebec — FAQ

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