How Snow Can Damage Your Roof

How can snow damage your roof? The winter season may bring a range of issues for your roof, be it flat or sloped. However, it is easier for snow to gather on a flat roof. Snow damages usually start when the snow adds extra weight to your roof while expanding as it forms ice. This can affect existing cracks in your roof.

Followed by when the ice starts to melt, which leaves behind an excessive amount of water on your roof. This can be a problem for flat roofs. This article will explain 5 ways snow can damage your roof and ways to prevent each damage.

5 Ways Snow Can Damage Your Roof

Here are ways snow can damage your roof and how to prevent them:

Snowstorm

Strong snowstorms are common throughout the winter season, and they cause damages to the different parts of the roof. Especially the roof shingles and ridges as they are more exposed to the storm. They might even get undone and ripped off.

Prevention:

• Purchase high-quality shingles
• Repair any present or prospective roofing issue
• Request that your plumber check the roof ahead of the winter season
• Cut down tree branches that may snap off and cause harm to your roof

Weight of snow

Roofs handle stress differently and older roofs are more likely to be damaged under extreme pressure due to collected snow. This can lead to the total collapse of the roof.

Prevention

• Keep an eye out for leakages, gaps, and cracks
• Scrape excess snow from the eaves of your roof

Extreme condensation can occur in any part of your roof, especially in the attic, which is caused by accumulated melted snow. The build-up of ice may also generate a lot of moisture between roof sheets which can create mildew and wood decay.

Accumulation of ice on the roof

Warming your home in the winter season also warms the shingles and excess snow on your roof. The snow melts and seeps into the corners of your roof to refreeze and become ice again. The ice thickens and causes the backlog of additional melting snow to form.

And if there are any leaking areas in your roof, the water will seep beneath the shingles and drip onto the ceiling. As a result of this, the likelihood of leakage grows. This is because the water further seeps into the corners of the roof as it contracts and expands.

Prevention:

• Aerate and insulate your ceiling
• Remove rubbish and twigs from your rain gutters and pipes
• Install temperature tracing cables in your downspouts
• Clear the snow from the corners of your roof with a broomstick or rake.

Chunks of ice

Ice crystals may do considerable damage due to build-up in the different parts of your roof and downspouts. They can be hard to eradicate without damaging the roof. You should keep an eye on your gutters as they might freeze, retain water, and cause leaks if you have a flat rooftop.

Prevention:

• Maintain a clean gutter and downspout to avoid blockages
• Uninstall your drainage system to avoid damages
• Detach the downspout to directly access the drain

How Snow Can Damage Your Roof Video

Conclusion

As a homeowner, you have to be prepared for the winter season as it is the most difficult season for your roof. But you can preserve your roof throughout the season by inspecting your gutters for damages and removing excessive snow.
While checking for damages, be careful not to cause any further damage to your roof, and make sure to wear protective clothing.