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How Snow and Ice Impact Your Roof

How Snow and Ice Impact Your Roof

Dec 4, 2020 | Roofing Tips

With winter upon us and colder weather, snows, and icy conditions fast approaching, it’s essential to understand the role your roof plays in all this.

Snow and ice can damage your roof in ways that can get considerably expensive. In order to prepare for the encroaching weather, it’s essential to understand how these factors affect your roof.

In the article below, we’ll examine precisely how snow and ice impact your roof and how to prevent some of these costly repairs. Continue reading to learn more!

Freeze/Thaw Cycles

As snow builds up on your roof and begins to melt, the water can seep into tiny cracks in your roof and gutter system. When the temperature drops below freezing again, this water will freeze and turn these small cracks into large ones. As winter progresses, this simply happens continuously, making the crack larger with each cycle. This can lead to water damage in your roof, failing gutters, and even full replacement in severe cases.

Snow and Ice Build-up

A light flurry or dusting isn’t going to weigh much at all. However, as snow builds up and you end up with a few inches or more on your roof, it can get notably heavy. This added weight can cause unnecessary stress to your roof and flashing. This is especially noticeable among flat roofs. Snow and ice should never be left to accumulate on your roof. It’s wise to look into a professional to remove this snow and have your roof inspected after a particularly snowy season to check for damage and repair it before it becomes too severe.

Ice Dams

An ice dam is a build-up of ice on the eaves of sloped roofs or flat roofs. They form as the snow melts under a snowpack, flows to the eave, and refreezes there. Ice dams that form on your roof are likely to become leaks that will damage your attic, ceiling, and even walls once the warmer months arrive. Not to mention, this heavy ice can increase your chances of a total roof collapse!

Damage During DIY Snow Removal

As we’ve mentioned the problems that snow and ice build-up can cause your roof, many homeowners will attempt to remove the snow and ice themselves this winter in an attempt to prevent damage. However, this can lead to even more problems for your roof. Often, homeowners try to remove snow and ice from the roof and wind up puncturing shingles or the roof’s waterproof layer or causing damage as they scrape aggressively to remove the build-up.

Preventing These Repairs

Shingles are designed to be moisture resistant and allow water to run off the surface of the roof. However, no roof is truly waterproof. Running water may not be enough to seep into your roof, but snow build-up and ice dams can cause water to pool, which can wreak havoc even on a brand new roof. Keep an eye on your gutters and roof for cracks that can be made worse by freeze/thaw cycles. Do your best to keep snow and ice build-up off of the roof. Consider hiring a professional to remove any snow or ice build-up to prevent any accidental damage. Keeping these issues in check will help you prevent costly repairs this winter!
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