Winter’s ice and snow may tell you more about the state of your roof than anything else this year. Let’s take a look at the most common, serious winter roof issues you may find. We’ll also share advice on what to do if you’re dealing with these winter roof problems.
Ice-Free Patches
Small ice-free patches on your roof may be the result of shifting winds. However, large ice-free patches on an otherwise frozen roof may indicate a serious problem. Most likely, this indicates that this patch of roof is significantly warmer than the rest of your roof. You may have a dearth of insulation in those areas, allowing the heat from inside your home to leak out in this area. This will need to be remedied if you don’t want to spend far more than necessary on your utility bills. This can also indicate that there is a place where your roof is leaking – where water is coming in, heat may be coming out. If there is a roof leak, there are really two problems. One issue is that the roof leak that has let water seep into the roof so much that your insulation is no longer effective. The other issue is that you have waterlogged insulation, and your roof and its wood supports may have water damage, too.
What should you do if your roof is ice-free when everyone else’s roof is covered in a layer of ice and snow? Contact us about home insulation services because you obviously don’t have enough, or you’re venting so much heat into the attic that an HVAC expert needs to check things out. This is definitely the right time to call in an expert for advice.
Icicles
Icicles may look pretty, but they can be a serious warning sign. Heavy icicles falling off of tall buildings can hurt or even kill people. A layer of heavy icicles could damage or even pull down your gutters, too. However, they might be a warning sign of something even worse. Behind those icicles could be a water dam, since the presence of the icicles may indicate that there was enough liquid water to melt and flow over the edge. Ice dams like this will trap water against your roof, allowing it to seep upwards under the shingles and into the frame. The repeated freezing and thawing the trapped water likely undergoes will allow the water to work its way into the structure of your roof while causing damage — the same way repeated freezing and thawing causes potholes and deepening cracks in our roads.
Don’t grab a pick axe and start hammering at the icicles, though! Instead, you could consider carefully using a roof rake to pull down the snow that is blocking up the liquid water, if it is there. Use tools to break up the ice in your gutters and down spouts. You may need to run hot water through the drains, apply heat tape to the frozen surfaces, or run a line through the downspouts to clear out the leaves so that the water can flow away.
While you’re clearing away icicles, check out the tree branches near your roof. You may want to knock a few icicles off the branches bowing down under the weight. This could save you from needing to fix a hole in the roof because an overloaded branch fell down, damaging your roof or your gutters.
*Although experienced DIY homeowners may want to take on this task themselves, we prefer you do not try these steps on your own due to safety concerns. Instead, contact a local reputable Cincinnati roofing contractor such as Harper Siding and Roofing. Especially in wintertime, getting up on a ladder to work on your roof can be dangerous.
The Very Heavy Layer of Snow
All roofs have weight limits. It is possible for a roof to collapse when it is overloaded with ice and snow, especially when the snow is very wet. This is unusual but not impossible for private homes – most homes have roofs that are adequately sloped so that the snow slides off before it gets too heavy. But, you may need to rake off a layer of snow from the lower edge of the house to allow the rest to slide off. If there are tree branches or other large debris on the roof, you’ll probably want to remove that, especially if it is interfering with the ability of snow to slide off the roof. Again – take extreme care when working on or around your roof in icy conditions. It can be very dangerous and is probably best left to an expert roofing company.
Cincinnati Roofing Issues? Call In the Specialists!
In general, you want to call in a professional Cincinnati roofing company to clear the heavy snow off your roof. You don’t want to go to the Emergency Room for injuries caused by falling off a roof. Need assistance? Give us a call here at Harper or use our contact form.