Many people mistakenly think that that roof damage only happens in strong summer storms. However, ice and snow damage roofs just as much as summer storms, just in a different way. Even if your roof was in good repair going into winter, you should still be aware of how winter storms can damage roofing and signs to look for that you need to call a roof repair contractor. With the potential for significant snow and possible ice, you should know what to look for.
Snow
If we really get another snowmageddon, try to refrain from removing the snow your roof. Although you may feel that your roof has too much snow, that’s rarely the case. Homes today are meant to withstand significant weight – usually between 20 and 30 pounds per square inch. That equates to between two and four feet of snow. When homeowners scrapes the snow off their roof, they also often remove shingle granules which weaken the shingles and lead to roof damage.
Ice Dams
Ice dams are not a very common occurrence in Fairfax, Manassas, Arlington, and the surrounding areas, but it does happen. Many homes have either insufficient insulation or poor ventilation, which are the two primary causes of ice dams. Clogged or poorly draining gutters can also lead to ice damming. Your roof repair contractor can evaluate your gutters, insulation and ventilation to see if a small change could reduce the chance of an ice dam forming in the future as well as make repairs to any damage.
Ice dams not only damage shingles, but also your gutters. An ice dam can pull the gutter away from the home and once melting starts, the water can run behind your gutters damaging your fascia. Shingle damage is common not only at the edge of the roof, but as far up the roof as the ice dam grows. When shingles are lifted and ice and water get underneath, that water eventually melts and can turn into a roof leak.
What to Look for When the Snow & Ice Melt
Snow and ice melting aren’t, in themselves, dangerous. What’s dangerous is the freeze-thaw cycle that we often experience. This cycle can lead to significant damage to your shingles. After the snow melts off your roof, look for lifted, curled or bent shingles. This often means that water got underneath the shingles and froze. We all know that when water freezes, it expands. This can lead to lifted shingles, especially if the process repeats itself day after day because each freeze lifts the shingles a bit more. That means that the next day there was slightly more space for water to get into and when it froze again, the shingle was lifted or bent more. Over several days (or even the whole winter) this can lead to significant roof damage.
Peak Roofing Contractors is Ready to Repair Your Ice & Snow Roof Damage
If you experience roof damage from the snow and ice, call us. We offer free roof inspections and can let you know if you have ice or snow roof damage. We are also a gutter company and can repair or replace any damage they receive as well. Our comprehensive quote will also include recommendations regarding your insulation and if we feel your roof is under ventilated. Call us today at (703) 753-4585 or fill out our contact form and we’ll reach out.
