Home

Snow on the roof: Any cause for alarm?

As the snow comes pouring down, the very first thing that crosses our minds is how we can get ourselves protected. So, we go for those insulating clothes and shoes – our winter wears, so to say. While this is fine and most welcome, there’s an equally important aspect that may sometimes be overlooked: the shield over us – the roof.

Though the snow can’t come pouring down on you with your roof still intact, paying proper attention to the roof is essential. Yes, if the snow persists for a prolonged period. No, if you’re proactive in getting the snow off your roof.

How can snow affect my roof?

Maybe you will get to have a good grasp of the reason you have to make moves towards removing snow from your roof after reading the points below:

Weight burden

The weight of the snow can create a significant weight burden on your roof. This stresses the roof and may even cause it to cave in with time. The chances of the roof collapsing due to the prolonged presence of snow are higher in the instance where the roof was already weak beforehand. You experience difficulty attempting to open your doors or windows.

Formation of ice dams

Ice dams formation is also possible due to the uneven distribution of heat across the roof with snow. This happens as melted snow travels down your roof only to be refrozen at some other spots – creating ice dams. These ice dams pick their spots, causing the moisture from subsequent snowmelt to be re-routed to other parts of the roof – including the flashing, shingles, etc. This could ultimately damage those parts and even lead to cracks [on the roof] being made worse More so, due to the persistent presence of snow, roofing elements can lose their structure, thus causing the roof to fall apart. It becomes essential to call snow roofing professionals to remove the snow from the roof to protect it from such damage.

Roof leakage

Snow can indirectly bring about leakages as it melts and slips towards the roof’s edge. Moreover, in the instance of the melted snow refreezing to further open up existing cracks, your roof is bound to allow water to slip through into the attic.

How can I know when to remove the snow?

You don’t have to constantly go up to check how much your roof is holding – although this may be necessary at times. You can just watch out for the following signs in the winter:

– Sagging/drooping ceilings

– Creaking or weird sounds from the roof

– Accumulation of ice around your gutter

– Difficulty in opening windows and doors

You should understand that it’s high time you rid your roof of the snow burden. Again, you should ensure regular removal in heavy and persistent snow downpours.

What is your reaction?

Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0

You may also like

Comments are closed.

More in:Home