While you’re relaxing comfortably in your home during a brutal winter storm, the outside of your house is working hard to keep you safe and protected from the elements. With that being said, your home’s exterior will likely suffer some damage. In order to protect your home from harsh winter weather, take a look at some of these common winter roof problems, and how to handle and prevent them.
Common Winter Roof Problems
Damage to your roof may easily occur in the cold and wet winter months. With heavy amounts of snow and ice, you could be facing damage to roofing shingles, insulation and other parts of your home. Tree branches can also harm your roof by scraping roof shingles, and strong gusting winds could pose a threat to your roof’s protective top. Here are the various ways winter weather can cause roof problems.
Excess Water and Condensation
There are numerous different ways that water can damage your roof. For instance, condensation, which occurs when warm air meets a cold surface, can lead to mold and mildew. In turn, this can also affect the inside of your home by causing damage to the interior structure. And if you have wet insulation within the home, this can be a problem as well. This is because there’s a greater risk of moisture being pulled into the ceiling from the wet insulation once you turn your furnace on for heat in the winter. This could then lead to discoloration of the ceiling and potential leaks.
Ice Dams and Icicles
Another common winter roof problem occurs when icicles form along the edge of the roof. Not only are icicles a danger to people and pets, but the excessive amount of weight they put on your roof can cause damage to your gutters and the roof itself. In order to prevent icicles from damaging your roof, be sure to keep your gutters free of debris and leaves. And when it comes to ice dams, which form when melting ice from warm sections of the roof flow down and re-freeze on the lower surface, you want to be sure they don’t leak into your home through cracks in the roof. While you can’t fully prevent ice dams from forming, having proper insulation and ventilation will help.
Tree Limbs and Branches
Tree limbs pose a threat to your roof by scraping and damaging shingles that are necessary for keeping your roof protected. Also, tree branches that get stuck and left on the roof can be a problem too. An abundance of tree limbs gathered on the roof could add unnecessary weight and cause damage to your roof’s structure. In order to avoid having to repair roof shingles, it’s best to keep tree branches trimmed back about 6 feet away from the roof.
Strong Winds
The Reno/Sparks area is no stranger to the occasional wind storm, but do you know how damaging the wind can actually be for your roof? Well, strong enough winds can tear shingles and other roofing materials right off of your roof. This could leave your roof exposed to other damaging weather such as rain and snow which will cause further damage to your home. If you do notice roof shingles or other roof materials missing from your roof, be sure to contact a professional contractor immediately.
How to Handle or Prevent Winter Roof Problems
Before the winter season hits full force, you should learn how to prepare your roof for the harsh wet and cold weather. Start by clearing off any debris from the roof and gutters. Extra build-up can put a tremendous amount of weight on the roof which could cause serious damage and debris build-up in the gutters could also affect water run-off. Also, be sure to cut back any tree branches that come close to the roof because the limbs can scrape off necessary roofing material such as shingles. And lastly, be sure to inspect your roof before the inclement weather begins. This way you’ll be prepared if there is damage and can hopefully get the problem fixed before the first storm of the season.
Connect with East Fork Roofing
While there are many ways you can help prevent roof damage from occurring, not all problems can be prevented or fixed by you alone. It’s best to contact a licensed roofing contractor if you notice any roof or ceiling damage. If you’re in need of a roof replacement then connect with the experts at East Fork Roofing to ensure your roof is in the right hands. We offer free roof replacement quotes and we’re dedicated to helping homeowners across Northern Nevada have durable, safe, and long-lasting roofs. Contact us today!