How To Prevent Roof Damage from Snow or Ice

Snow-covered rooftops are a common sight during Ontario’s long winters. However, when snow becomes compacted or turns to ice, it can lead to costly roof repairs in Markham and many other areas across the province. As a home or business owners, it’s important to understand the types of damage that can occur from built up snow and ice and what you can do to prevent any issues from occurring.

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Type of Damage Caused by Snow & Ice

When snow and ice accumulate on your roof, heavy ice dams can form. As the heat from your home rises, it will then cause the bottom layer of ice to melt. Because it has nowhere to go due to the snow covering it, the excess water will begin to saturate your roof and cause a leak.

According to professional roofing services, here are some of the signs that you might have an ice dam:

  • Water stains or leaks: Water stains and drips on the ceiling are a sure sign that you have a leak coming from above.
  • Bent gutters: The eaves troughs on your home or business look like they are buckling under excess weight.
  • Cracked walls: Cracked walls may indicate that the weight on the roof is putting pressure on the structure of your house, causing it to crack.
  • Collapse: A collapse would be the worst-case scenario. If you do not recognize the early signs of stress on your roof caused by piling ice and snow, the weight may cause it to cave in. In this case, you must contact an emergency builder and roofer to take care of the damage and fix the problem. At Alpine Roofing, we provide emergency services all year long so you can be sure that we will be available to assist you in the cold winter months.
  • Jammed doors or windows: Door and window frames can become distorted when there is too much weight on the roof.

5 Things to Protect Your Roof from Ice and Snow

There are a few things that you can do to prevent the winter weather from damaging your roof this year.

  1. Install a Metal Roof: Metal and vinyl roofing is a smart choice if you live in Markham. It also holds heat better than many other materials and both metal and vinyl are great at shedding large amounts of snow. Logik roofing Markham can assist you and provide recommendations for metal roofing on homes and businesses.
  2. Cleaning Eavestroughs: Make sure that they’re clean and in good condition. Or you can call a custom roofing company to install new ones before winter.
  3. Regular Inspection of the Entire Home: Look for signs of structural damage such as cracks on interior and exterior walls.
  4. Removing Excess Snow: Call a professional snow removal company to remove the snow regularly from your roof and around your property. Doing so is much safer than doing it yourself, as they have the equipment to remove it without damaging your roof or getting themselves hurt in the process.
  5. Checking the Attic: Make sure that your attic is properly insulated and ventilated. Not only will this prevent ice dams from forming, but it will reduce your energy costs in the winter months as well.

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