Quick verdict
A 26 inch aluminium blade on a telescoping pole from 7.5 to 20 feet, with small wheels on the blade that roll on the shingles so the rake glides down the roof pulling snow with it instead of scraping granules off. Snow load and ice dams are what a roof rake prevents, and 20 feet reaches the lower slopes of a two-storey house from the ground. Aluminium keeps it light enough to hold up; a 20 foot pole loaded with snow is still a workout.
Strengths
- Removes snow load and prevents ice dams from the ground
- Wheels protect shingles from the blade
- Twenty-six inch blade clears a wide strip per pull
- Extends from 7.5 to 20 feet
- Aluminium is light for its length
Weaknesses
- Twenty feet of pole with snow on the blade is heavy and awkward
- Reaches the lower roof only on tall houses
- Must be used in sections; pulling a whole slope at once overloads it
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Snow Off the Roof Before It Becomes Ice
Snow on a roof is weight, and snow on a roof over a warm house is an ice dam waiting to form at the eave, where meltwater refreezes and backs up under the shingles. A roof rake clears the lower slope from the ground. VEVOR’s has a 26 inch aluminium blade with wheels that roll on the shingles, on a pole that telescopes from 7.5 to 20 feet.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how wheeled roof rakes perform generally. We have not used this rake ourselves.
Using It
Stand on the ground well back from the eave. Extend the pole, lift the blade onto the roof above the snow and pull it down toward you. Snow slides off the edge at your feet. Work in strips across the eave, clearing 3 to 6 feet up the slope, which is where ice dams form. Do not try to drag a whole slope in one pull; the load bends the pole and the snow arrives all at once.
The Wheels
A bare blade scrapes shingles and strips the granules that protect them. Wheels hold the blade a fraction above the surface so it rolls down the roof under the snow. They also let the blade slide back up for the next pull without catching.
Reach
Twenty feet reaches the lower slope of a two-storey house and the whole roof of a single-storey one or a garage. Extend only as far as needed; a 20 foot aluminium pole with a blade of snow on the end is heavy and the leverage is at your end.
Safety
Snow slides where the rake pulls it, so stand to the side. Look up for power lines before extending the pole. Never use it from a ladder or the roof; the whole point is staying on the ground.
Who Should Buy It
- Homeowners in snow country with ice dam history.
- Owners of low-pitch roofs that hold deep snow.
- Anyone with a single-storey house or garage within easy reach.
Common Owner Complaints
Weight at full extension and limited reach on tall houses. Use fewer sections where possible; tall upper roofs need a professional.
Technique Tips
Rake after each storm while the snow is fresh and light; a week of thaw and freeze turns it into a slab that will not move. Start at a corner of the eave and work along, pulling from the bottom edge up the slope in short strokes so each pull carries a manageable load. Extend the pole only as the clear strip moves up the roof.
Alternatives to Consider
A slide-style roof rake with a chute that lets snow fall away in sheets. A shorter 16 foot rake for single-storey homes. Heat cable along the eave to stop dams forming.
Verdict
For clearing the eave from the ground and stopping ice dams, a wheeled aluminium rake is the right tool and this one reaches most roofs. Work in strips, stand to the side and watch the lines.
Full specifications
VEVOR 26 Inch Aluminium Blade Snow Roof Rake with Wheels, 7.5 to 20 Foot Adjustable FAQs
Deep snow loads the structure, and snow that melts over a warm attic and refreezes at the cold eave forms an ice dam that forces water under the shingles. Raking the lower 3 to 6 feet of roof prevents the dam.
Stand on the ground, extend the pole, set the blade on the roof above the snow and pull down in strips, clearing a few feet from the eave upward. Never pull a whole slope in one stroke.
They keep the blade edge off the shingles so it rolls rather than scrapes, which protects the granules and lets the rake slide under the snow.
Stay clear of where the snow will slide and of power lines. Do not use it from a ladder. Expect snow to fall at your feet.
