Austin residents with an overabundance of snow on their houses may want to consider having their roofs shoveled to prevent leaks or a collapse.

“A lot of roofing companies are providing (roof clearing) services, so I’d recommend they investigate that,” said Public Works Director Jon Erichson.

Erichson said the city has evaluated all the buildings it owns and cleared some of the roofs so as not to damage the structures.

Roofs can also be cleared by the property owner with shovels, snow rakes or salt, which melts the snow off the building. Residents should take proper safety measures and tread carefully if they decide to clear their own roof rather than call a professional.

Department of Safety and Inspections Director Ricardo Cervantes said ice dams on roofs could cause leaking, and there is also a potential for structural roof collapse.

He said water retention from an expected rainfall could make matters worse, especially on large, flat roofs.

Cervantes said it’s also good to remove buildup around skylights and mechanical vents.