How Does Snow Damage Roofs

Tips for protecting your flat roof from snow damage.

How does snow damage roofs.

Ice dam formation when warm air rises from. Every year snow build up on roofs is a major cause of damage to both the shingles and to the roof deck underneath. When this happens melting snow water cannot run off the roof and ends up backing up and causing leaks. The capacity of the roof to withhold the heaviness of the snow and rise unscathed from a freezing winter spell of heavy snow will entirely depend upon the quality of the materials and products used also to a degree the workmanship.

Winter can be especially harsh on a house s roof and it s almost never a good idea to simply wait for spring before addressing the issues that the presence of snow and ice on your roof can cause. If your area gets 3 or 4 feet of snow that can put enough weight on your roof to cause it to sag shift door frames or crack structural members. Average snow not wet or fluffy weighs 15 pounds per cubic foot. Keep a log of correspondence.

Before the first snow even falls create an emergency plan for dealing with winter storms. Snowy roofs often cause large ridges of ice or ice dams at the edge of roofs or gutters. Monitor snowfall some storms drop huge quantities of snow on your roof. The good news is despite the harsh effect winter weather can have on your flat roof there are several preventative measures to take in order to avoid significant damages.

Although snow is a common weather phenomenon most people are not aware of the damage it can cause on roofs if it s not removed. The longer a roof sits with damage the more weather and dirt makes it less obvious what the damage is since it looks like wear and tear says severaid. As a general rule snow can damage a pitched or flat roof extreme weather can cause premature ageing. Five of the main winter roof damage problems that homeowners should be aware of are listed below along with some advice on how to best manage them.

If left untreated this damage can cause rust or mold which of course you do not want. Ice dams are the single largest cause of snow damage to roofs and shingles. The answer unfortunately is yes.