How Snow and Ice Impact Your Roof

Picture it: It’s a snow day, and you’re curled up on the couch with your family, warm and cozy with a hot beverage in hand. While you may be cozy and warm inside, your roof is doing a lot of heavy lifting and might be under a lot of stress. Your roof works hard to protect you and your family, so it’s important for you to understand how snow and ice impact your roof to take care of it and prevent unnecessary damage.

Stress under pressure

Though we think of snow as fluffy and fun, but when snow and ice accumulate on your roof, it quickly becomes very heavy. In extreme cases, it can cause your roof to cave in. The biggest risk comes when rainwater or melted snow collects in low points of your roof, only to freeze into the ice blocks. These ice blocks can be extremely heavy, and since they’re in a concentrated spot, they bring a significantly higher risk of damage.

Here is Memphis, it’s unlikely that there will be enough snow and ice to cause your roof to cave-in, but it’s very possible that it can cause the noticeable and dramatic damage, especially if your roof hasn’t been inspected recently and is somehow structurally compromised.

A roof inspection from a Pinnacle Roofing and Restoration team member in the fall can save you from frustration and safety issues in the winter. A professional roof inspection in Memphis is the best way to prepare for the stress winter weather can put on your roof. If your roof is strong, the weight of snow and ice should only have a small impact on your roof, and it will be easy to correct once the weather clears.

The impact of ice dams on your roof.

While icicles might seem like an idyllic addition to your home, they are actually a sign of a serious problem. Ice dams are caused by uneven heat on your roof. For instance, if your attic is warm, snow in the middle might melt and start to run down the eaves of your roof, work its way underneath your shingles, and into any small crack or crevice it can find where it refreezes because there is less warmth. Since water expands as it freezes, it can damage your singles, widen and existing cracks, and damage your gutters.

Ensuring that your attic is properly insulated can make a big difference when it comes to preventing ice dams. It will also save you money on heating costs since more heat will be staying inside your home where you need it. You can also use a heated cable on the edges of the roof to prevent ice from refreezing. Contact the team at Pinnacle Roof and Restoration to learn about the best solutions for your home in Memphis before it becomes a problem.

Leaks Caused by Snow and Ice

A common problem in the Mid-south is thawing and refreezing. This makes roads treacherous, and compromise the structural integrity of all parts of your home, especially your roof. The drastic temperature changes alone can affect your roof, but the real problems come when your roof hasn’t been expected for a while. As snow and ice dams melt, they can work their way under your shingles and into cracks. As the water freezes and expands, in these nooks and crannies, it can cause damage, and when the ice melts again it can leak into your home. Leaks like this can cause extensive damage to your walls, insulation, and your belongings.

Preventative maintenance from your Memphis roof experts

As you can see, the best way to prevent serious damages from snow and ice is to take preventative measures. Replacing a roof is expensive and annoying, especially if it’s the result of damage that can extend to the structure of your home itself. Make sure to have your roof inspected regularly to get ahead of winter storms and the damage that they bring.

Roof damage that starts small and spreads slowly is the most dangerous because it’s hidden and tends to get bad before you ever even notice anything is awry. By having professionals like Pinnacle Roofing & Restoration perform a roof inspection, especially after storm damage or when snow and ice are in the forecast, issues can be identified and repaired before an entire roof replacement becomes a necessity.

While inspecting your roof, we strive to provide quality information to help you decide on your next step to take. We will help you determine what type of residential or commercial roofing system you have, the roof’s age and how it’s performing. We will also determine what we can do to prolong the life of your roof or if it’s time for a replacement because of storm damage.

Pinnacle Roofing & Restoration is locally owned and operated, and we know what it takes to keep your roof looking good and functioning the way it should even when the weather gets crazy in the Mid-South. If you’ve experienced storm damage to your roof that you need assessing, or are interested in regular roof inspections, get in touch with us today – we want the roof over your head to last for years!