How Snow and Ice Impact Your Roof

29 Dec How Snow and Ice Impact Your Roof

As one of the premier roofing companies in the Northwest Chicago Suburbs, Aspen Exterior Company knows that the winter can take a large toll on your house’s roof. Even roofs that have been recently installed by our contractors can get badly affected by the snow and ice that comes with the winter, and thus, it’s important to take precautions in order to prevent issues. Before winter arrives in full force, we’d recommend having one of our friendly roofing contractors visit your home to make sure that your roof is in the right condition to handle the elements. Here are some of the most biggest impacts that snow and ice have on your roof in the winter.

Leaky Roof

Whether you have a roof with asphalt roof shingles or cedar shake shingles, accumulation of snow and ice on it can make the roof leaky. When heavy ice blocks fall onto your roof, the roofing material can get ruptured and cause leaking down into the attic. If many ice pieces were to fall on the roof simultaneously, the impact will be more and the roof can get severely damaged.

Related to this is the fact that a large snowfall can cause thousands of pounds worth of additional weight on your roof. When this happens, the additional burden will have a negative impact on the structure, causing a formation of cracks on the roof. One way to avoid these issues is to have a professional visit your home and clear all the snow and ice off your roof.

Ice Dams

A major roof-related issue caused by ice and snow accumulation is ice dams. An ice dam is a ridge that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the ice dam can then leak into your home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas.

The formation of ice dams is due to the complex interaction of snow on the roof, heat loss coming from the home, and cold outside temperatures. For ice dams to form, there must be snow on the roof, higher portions of the roof’s outside surface must be above 32 degrees, and lower portions of the roof must be below 32 degrees.

The best way to prevent ice dams from occurring is to remove snow from the roof immediately after it snows. Hire a contractor to come to your home and remove the snow from your cedar shake shingles or asphalt shingles with a roof rake and a push broom. In the long-term, we can also take preventative action from ice dams ever occurring by making the ceiling airtight so that no warm, moist air can flow from the house into the attic space. After sealing these leakage paths, we can also increase the insulation between the ceiling and roof to cut down on heat loss.

Contact Aspen Exterior Company

The best way to avoid these snow and ice-related roof issues is to have one of our roofing contractors visit your house and take preventative measures. Aspen Exterior Company has been in operation since 1978, and our design center, warehouse, and production facility tackle a variety of house exterior projects. Many of our craftsmen have been with us for decades, helping Palatine, IL homeowners feel secure and comfortable in their houses. Schedule an appointment today.