What Types of Roof Damage Occur in Winter?

Wintertime can place a significant amount of strain on your home—and particularly on your roof. The pressure of snow, ice and melting water can all add up to create a brutal mixture of potentially damaging factors. Winter roof damage can lead to expensive and frustrating calls for repairs at the absolute worst time.

Understanding the types of roof damage that can occur is the first step towards preventing and mitigating their effects. If you know what to watch out for, you’ll be more likely to spot the signs and enlist the help of a roofing contractor in Wyoming to promptly address any issues.

Problems with ice

Ice dams and icicles are one major winter roofing issue, and they’re usually the result of warm air in your attic heating up the roof and causing snow to melt. This melted water then slides down the roof and re-freezes at the colder edges. This occurs over and over until eventually a lump or strand of ice has formed. These ice chunks can cause water to back up under your shingles, or they can put so much strain on your gutters that they tear away from your house. To prevent these ice problems, your roof should be kept as cold as possible, and an insulated attic will keep heat from reaching the shingles and causing trouble.

Heavy snow on the rooftop

Every roof is built differently—distinctive pitches and diverse materials mean they can all accommodate unique loads. Your roofing contractor in Wyoming will be able to offer more insight into the capabilities of your particular roof, but regardless, it’s important to prevent excessive snow from building up. This can cause real issues due to the weight of the snow, and can even lead to collapse. Using a snow rake is a good way to ease some of this strain, but you should also call a shingle roofing service in Wyoming immediately if you start to hear creaking or see sagging or leaks. These can be warning signs of a coming roof collapse.

Winter makes small problems bigger

Finally, the general challenges of winter make any existing problems with your roof that much worse. If you’ve been having trouble with minor leaks, then the added factors of snow and improper insulation mean they’re only going to become more visible and invasive. If your gutter caulk was already chipping apart, continuously freezing and thawing water will further pry open gutter seams. Essentially, any problem you already had with your roof will be made worse by snow and ice, so it’s best to stay ahead of trouble by scheduling regular fall inspections with a roofing contractor in Wyoming.

Wintertime can be a real bear for roofs, but it doesn’t have to present catastrophic problems. By educating yourself on the warning signs of strain, you’ll put yourself ahead of the curve. Being vigilant about roof damage means you’ll be equipped to nip small problems in the bud, but if you’re ever in doubt whether something is a problem, it’s a good idea to get in touch with the experts. Contact Drury Brothers Roofing Wyoming to schedule an inspection!

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