Common Winter Roof Damages and What You Can Do About Them

In the winter, many roofing issues can start to emerge. It is the best way to learn how to prevent these problems. But in certain cases, there are just problems that arise during the harsh cold weather. As a homeowner, you need to know and understand how to protect your roof during the winter. Here’s our list of common winter roof damages and what you can do about them.

Ice Dams

Ice dams can be one of the most dangerous winter roof damages. It is formed by the ice melting in the roof and goes down to the edge of the roof. It is because the higher part of the roof is warmer than the lower part. It was all generated by flawed attic insulation. If the attic is inadequately insulated, warm air from inside the house can run into the attic and warm the roofing system enough to melt the snow on some parts of the roof. As the snow melt and travels down to the edge of the roof, the snow is no longer in the warm area of the roof, causing it to freeze. The stuck ice can intrude on the roof material leading to water damage in your home.

Solutions: The easy way is to pour warm water, or you can use chemical ice melt on the ice ridges. But this process can be dangerous; better call the professional to handle this issue and ask them to do a thorough gutter and roof inspection to find any potential damage from this problem.

Condensation

Condensation occurs when the warm temperature in your attic meets the cold surface of roof materials in your home. When there is extra moisture in the air inside your home, it will concentrate and turn into water droplets. These water drips are possibly located in your attic and cause water damage that will ruin and rot the wood in the surrounding area.

Solutions: Condensation transpires when you have improper ventilation and poor insulation. It is better to have well-working attic insulation to prevent warm air travel outside the attic. If you find yourself with this problem, you might want to call your roofers to do an inspection.

Flashing damage

Roof flashing is the metal strip that functions as a bridge installed in every corner of your roof. If it is not installed adequately, it will be pulled by the snow or winds. This will cause water damage to your home.

Solutions: When it comes to flashing damage, the way to prevent it is to be prepared. It’s better to do a visual inspection, ideally twice a year, and repair potential damage, especially before the winter.

Clogged Gutters

Clogged gutters are a major problem and can bring various issues to your home. The main issue is most likely when debris falls and clogs the rain gutter. It will then cause the water to stuck and back up, leading to an overflow on the ground. Clogged gutters will create ice dams and icicles, which are a safety hazard. It will also damage your foundations and wood floors. Not only that, but clogged gutters can also attract mice and rats to live and breed.

Solutions: You can prevent this problem by cleaning your gutter before the winter comes. When your gutter is clogged in the winter, it is safer to call a professional to help and clean, as clogged gutters may have ice dams or icicles that can potentially cause other roof damage.

Wind and Snow

Depend on the weather, but when the snow storms hit, the weight of the snow can be quite heavy for your roof, causing your roof to collapse. You need to be aware of the signs when your roof is not able to handle the snow, such as severe leaking or even a crack in your wall, also when you hear sounds of cracking or when your interior doors get stuck or popping out.

Solutions: Don’t climb on your roof yourself to remove the snow. It is very dangerous to do that. As the weather is not something we can specifically prepare for certain issues, it is better to have an inspection before the winter. And if you feel that your roof has lots of snow on it, you can remove the snow using a tool like a long-handled rake. Just make sure to be gentle at the same time, so you don’t ruin your shingles and don’t pull down heavy snow directly to where you stand.

Facing the Challenges

Winter can be tricky and challenging for homeowners. If you notice these problems, you should contact ID Roofing LLC, Boise roofing company. Our contractors will help you with your winter roofing problems, from doing thorough inspections of your roof to delivering any repairs that you need.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment.