Protect Your Roof During Winter

Protect Your Roof During Winter

Winter is in full swing.  We’ve had several accumulating snowfalls, but also several days when temperatures have been warm enough to melt the snow.  There’s still a couple months to go though, before spring finally arrives.  Have you thought about your home’s roof, and how to protect your roof when it’s covered by snowfall?

There’s several ways to protect your roof from damage during winter.  It is an important maintenance task that some homeowners are likely to forget about.  As snow accumulates along the eaves of your roof and enters into several thaw / refreeze cycles due to air temperature or sunlight, ice dams could form.

What is an Ice Dam?

Ice dams are areas where melting snow refreezes into ice, and begins to build up, especially in valleys and along eaves and gutters.  This build up of ice eventually will force water to seep under the roof’s shingles and cause damage to your roof.  As water freezes, it expands, potentially moving shingles out of place.

The easiest way to prevent this, is getting a snow rake, and of course, using it.  If you are able to reach your gutters and eaves with a rake, it’s recommended to use it carefully and scrape a couple feet up of snowfall off your roof.  Having your roof free of snowfall along the eaves allows any melting snow to run into the gutters.

Other methods to protect your roof during winter

Other methods may include rooftop safe ice melter pellets, or by installing a heated wire that melts it off.  Regardless which method you choose, it’s best to remember to keep those areas clear of snowfall all winter long, and extend the lifespan of your roof.

It’s also important to note that proper insulation and ventilation of your roof or attic may make a difference in the melting of snow in the ice dam prone areas.  As warm air escapes due to lack of insulation, that snow may melt and re-freeze.  This is another factor that may be detrimental to the lifespan of your roof.

There are many other topics to discuss heading into this year, so feel free to contact me and let’s talk about selling or buying a home. Start your search right here on my site.

Dave Noelke is a licensed real estate agent with Century 21 Affiliated, based in the LaCrosse, Wisconsin office.  Visit his website here.