Without a doubt, winter is coming. Anyone who thinks otherwise must be living off the grid in solitude in a cave somewhere in the Himalayas. With all the sweater weather comes a host of issues bound to pound your precious abode. And yet, there may not be another part of your house that takes the most beating than your roof. Indeed, the covering that protects you from the torments of the weather bears the biggest brunt of the cold, cold weather.
If you’re not careful, your roof could fail you. No kidding. That is what happened in a New Jersey strip mall in 2019. Such scenarios are especially true for older buildings with materials that have been worn out over time. The roof could come tumbling down as the steady snowfall continually add weight to it. Indeed, the merits of winter-proofing your roof cannot be overemphasized. Holes could develop in your roofing system as the weather gets uglier by the day. When this happens, your heating systems may have to work overtime to give you the warmth you need to survive the winter.
The Cold Winter: A Litmus Roof Test
The Christmas holidays may be described as the “merriest months of the year.” America has had a long tradition of putting bright holiday lights out in the streets and at homes. Dazzling displays and twinkling lights usually illuminate the cities of the superpower.
But the cold that the yuletide season brings can be genuinely unforgiving, especially true for your building’s roof. Giving your roof ample time and attention is wise in this regard.
As you may be well aware, the roof is composed of various parts. The whole roofing system could get affected as well when one part becomes dysfunctional. When winter pours heavy-duty snow, the roof is put to the test more than any weather can give.
When debris and all sorts of fallen tree parts such as leaves and twigs fall into the roof, these can get the structure compromised if not attended to right away. That’s because these materials can block the drains and gutters, both specifically designed to let water flow.
That becomes an even greater problem once stagnant water is turned to ice because of the weather. Over time, your water drainage can break.
Worse, if not attended to, that debris from trees will rot. When that happens, mold could set in. Put in the mix stagnant water, and you could be seeing extensive damage way up there.
Then there’s that blanket of snow sitting on your roof. It can be enchanting at first. You may even conclude such a “Winter Wonderland” scenario is worthy of a postcard. But don’t be fooled by all the beauty.
Know that snow is pretty heavy. Technically it can go as much as 20 pounds/cubic square foot. So if the snow accumulates to about 4 inches deep on your roof, the frame could collapse. And down goes everything with it.
Doing Your Roof Right
To winter-proof your roof, you will have to clear debris before the first snowfalls. That’s the ideal. So that means you do not allow twigs, leaves, and other debris to linger on your roof. If you do, these can complicate things.
Now you may ask if you have to be on the roof to get the job done. It’s your call. You can always choose to DIY a roofing job. However, if you want things to be thorough, a residential roofing contractor could bid you well. Not only will it save you the hassle, but trained professionals also have the experience to get the job done quickly, not to mention the best tools.
In a sense, they will also save you a lot of money. For one, it takes a lot of the guesswork and wrong decisions out of the way.
While doing the roofing job yourself is admirable, risks come with the territory. Getting up there on the roof is not something to be fiddled with. As the data show, one-third of fatalities come from falling from rooftops. Fact is a roofing job is one of the riskiest jobs anyone can have.
If you want to do it yourself, employing a thermal camera is a big lift. Its ability to identify heat signatures will lead you to find which part of the roof is defective. Just make sure you observe the right procedure to get it done right. And that means putting your safety top of the list.
Getting your roof ready for winter is paramount to keep your house functioning as efficiently as possible. You have to do it right to get the job done while keeping everyone safe and sound. And that means your safety is included, first and foremost.
