With the country getting slammed with snow this winter, many homeowners and business owners are wondering how this snow can affect your roof. The more snow that falls, the more pressure it can be on your roof. It is important to understand the impact the snow on your roof so you can be prepared and know how to handle it when your roof is covered in heavy snow. Here is what you should know to protect your roof.
When Do You Have an Overloaded Roof?
A couple of flurries of snow are not going to do much damage to your roof if any at all. When you have several feet of snow accumulating on your roof, it is time to assess the situation. The type of roof you have determines a lot to how you approach the snow situation on your roof. For roofs that are sloped, you can be certain that much of the snow will slide off. This is great for removing the snow safely. For flat roofs, you may have more concerns as there is nowhere for the snow to go. Drifting snow can accumulate quickly from other structures that sit higher. The wind also plays a large role in adding more snow to your roof.
What Signs You Should Look For?
One of the best ways to know if the heavy snow is impacting your roof is by going into the attic. Take a look at the rafters to see if they are bent or cracked. If so, you need to take care of this issue quickly to avoid major problems. Another thing you want to look for is rotted roof decks. Over time, your roof decks can rot as they age. The snow only worsens the problem. Your gutters and drains can quickly accumulate ice making the situation even worse. It is important to remove the ice as soon as you start to see it develop. This way, as the snow melts, you can trust that the water will drain properly.
How Do You Remove Snow Off a Roof?
Removing snow from a roof should be done very carefully. It is possible to cause more damage to your roof just by removing the snow. In order to handle the removal safely, you want to use a roof rake attached to a large poll. Handling the removal yourself can pose many risks to both you and the roof. It is important to hire a professional to handle the removal of snow on your roof if you are not knowledgeable about the process.
A collapsed roof can be extremely dangerous to anyone. When you are concerned about the amount of snow on your roof, hiring a Virginia roofing company to inspect and assess the situation is vital to rectifying the problem. Experts believe that your roof can withstand about 30 pounds of snow per square pound. Avoid disastrous roofing problems and thousands of dollars in repairs by handling the situation right away.
Comments are closed.