PURPOSE: To provide a roof snow melting apparatus which consumes less fuel, is safe in fire prevention view point and has an adequate snow melting capability by heating the evaporator section of a heat pipe type heat exchanger with burnt waste gas coming from a heat exchanger for a room heater.

CONSTITUTION: An evaporator section 14, a heat insulated piping 17 and a panel like condenser section 18 are connected airtightly into a single unit to form a heat pipe type heat exchanger 28. A number of condenser sections 18 are arranged on the roof material 19 with an insulating material 21 inbetween, and melt the snow on the panel by the heat released due to the condensing of operating fluid vapor. When melting the snow settling on the panel like radiator 18, switch plates 15, 15' are positioned as shown in the diagram. Thus, the room heating can be performed by a heat exchanger 13 for room heating, and the snow on the roof can be melted by a heat pipe type heat exchanger 28. Since the heat of burnt waste gas of the room heating heat exchanger 13 can be used for heating the evaporator section 14 in this heating apparatus, the incremental fuel consumption is minimal even when the heat pipe is operated. Further, as there are no high-temperature parts or moving parts except for a burning chamber, the whole apparatus is safe.