How Does Snow Damage Roofs

When heavy snow sits up there it weighs down your roof and the moisture fights its way into crevices freezing and expanding until you have deep cracks that lead to an annoying water problem.

How does snow damage roofs.

Every year snow build up on roofs is a major cause of damage to both the shingles and to the roof deck underneath. 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. Ice dam formation when warm air rises from. The answer unfortunately is yes.

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. Before the first snow even falls create an emergency plan for dealing with winter storms. Monitor snowfall some storms drop huge quantities of snow on your roof. Snowy roofs often cause large ridges of ice or ice dams at the edge of roofs or gutters.

Ice dams are the single largest cause of snow damage to roofs and shingles. If left untreated this damage can cause rust or mold which of course you do not want. 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. When this happens melting snow water cannot run off the roof and ends up backing up and causing leaks.

Tips for protecting your flat roof from snow damage. 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. 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. 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. If you live in the us our snow load calculator compares the total weight on your roof with the permissible load calculated according to the standards issued by the american society of civil engineers regarding the minimum design loads for buildings and other structures asce7 16. This roofing tutor article looks at causes and concerns of ice dams and snow.