When there are especially harsh winters with lots of snow, the snow on roofs can be a problem. The issue can be the weight of the snow which sometimes causes roofs to collapse, as well as snow melting and creating ice dams, which can lead to leaking roofs.
Roof rakes have long handles and allow you to rake the snow of roofs without climbing onto them. However, you simply cannot find one when they are needed most, and they also can break.
My roof rake just broke after a few years or service. I had almost finished raking off the snow from the current storm when it broke, and the next storm arrives tomorrow with an expected total of 12 to 18 inches. Not surprisingly, all stores are out of roof rakes.
You can make a roof rake from PVC pipe, which is lightweight, non conductive and available at any hardware store. I like the 1 ½ inch PVC pipe, but ask for advice as wall thicknesses sometimes vary. 10 foot lengths are common, and connecting two with a PVC pipe connector is simple and appropriate for the extended reach. Terminate the PVC pipe in a "Tee connector" and add about a foot of PVC to each side of the Tee. For the actual rake part, there are many things you can use including wood, aluminum sheeting, and more. I like to use a piece of plywood, approximately 2 feet wide and six inches tall, but any scrap will do. Bolt to the PVC pipe and you are ready to rake the excessive snow off your roof!