How snow affects roofing in Calgary

When winter comes roaring in, mounds of snow rising on the ground with each passing storm are bound to cause significant inconveniences for anyone living in a cold climate. From snowy obstructions when driving, and walking on foot, to falling icicles causing hazardous conditions, the snow can certainly cause plenty of damage. A house bears the brunt of this damage, including the roof. Canadian communities often see these damages firsthand, including those familiar with the snow that often damages homes and requires repairs by roofing Calgary professionals.

Discover how snow can ultimately affect your roof and your home.

Additional stress

Winter can be an anxiety-inducing season for many due to slippery roads, sidewalks, and significant holidays. Still, humans aren’t the only ones prone to stress during the winter. A home’s roof will experience quite a bit of stress from the wintery addition of snow and ice falling on top of it. Such heavy accumulation of snow can eventually cause a roof to give out and collapse. With temperatures rising and dropping, rain and snow mixture adding to your roof, ice clumps will begin to form and create additional and more dangerous levels on a roof.

Formation of ice dams

Ice dams will begin to form when there is a plethora of ice on your roof. They tend to arise when warm air causes snow within the gutters to melt and then freeze, causing barriers to form around the corners of the roof. According to home renovations professionals, ice dams are usually an indication of poor ventilation and heating circulation that affects the roof in the winter. This can be an easy fix by installing insulation that will help reduce the number of ice dams that form on the roof.

Thick layer of snow hanging off the edge of the roof.

Freezing and thawing

Anyone living amongst wintery conditions can attest to the fact that the freeze and thaw cycle can make for hazardous road conditions. Not only is this cycle damaging to the roads you drive on, but also to your roof. Freezing and thawing on your roof can exacerbate preexisting damages to the shingles on the roof and can create new openings on the roof that will cause leaks in the house. Because of the damages this can cause, professional roofing Calgary companies will need to be contacted to properly repair such damages before the leaking affects the home’s structure.

Leaking

Mentioned briefly from the previous impacts caused by snow on the roof is leaking. Stress, ice dams, and the freezing and thawing cycle are all the wintery culprits that will cause leaking into a home. Snow will often find its way past the cracks on shingles and into the house, causing the utmost amount of damage that can be costly to repair.

Precautionary measures

While blustery winter conditions are inevitable and something all Canadians have to endure, it doesn’t mean that nothing can be done to prevent roofing damage from occurring. Some preventive measures you can take before winter arrives can include:

Getting a roof inspection done by professionals so that they can identify any underlying or explicit damages

Roof repairs and replacements

Cleaning the gutters and trimming tree branches

City Roofing & Exteriors consistently takes pride in serving Calgarians. At City Roofing, we understand the importance of customer satisfaction. We put safety, quality work and on time delivery as our top priority. We work hard to assist our customers in providing proper roofing systems to meet their budget and needs. We offer completed roofing services in Calgary and area on both residential and commercial projects. We guarantee that you will be satisfied with our work and recommend City Roofing as your roofing consultant and contractor. Give us a call at 403-608-9933 or send an email to [email protected].

Winter Roofing Tips in Calgary

Winter is an exciting time, where the first snowfall and the chill air feel like a reprieve from the sweltering heat of summer days gone by. But with this season making it frigid entry into our homes, we must also prepare our roofs for the winter weather that can damage them. As Canada is widely known for its harsh winters, it’s paramount to protect your home’s roofing in cities well-versed in winter’s strong velocity, like Calgary.

Here are several tips to help maintain and protect your roof during the winter months.

Cleaning gutters

Fall leaves that have fallen off the trees during the autumn months will get in every yard area, and your gutters are no exception. In preparation for winter, you should clean these dead leaves and other contents out of your gutter. This action will prevent your gutters from getting further clogged with debris and snow, which will then freeze and cause ice dams to form. While cleaning the gutters, it is also advisable to also look out for signs of animal or insect infestation within your gutters.

Trim trees

To prevent tree branches on the property from colliding with your roof and damaging it, trimming them before winter is recommended. More so, elongated branches where snow accumulates can break under the heavy pressure and cause severe to whatever is below it, including your roof.

Insulated roof

Getting insulation installed onto your roof is an effective method to maintain a warm temperature within your home while saving on your energy and utility bills and can also maximize the value of any home. Getting insulation installed will also protect your roof during the winter as keeps the shingles cool, which is a preventative measure against forming ice dams. Further, insulation is also a great winter roofing measure to help keep the heat in as mentioned on the official Canadian government website.

Smoke comes out of a house’s chimney on a winter day.

Professional inspection before winter

One of the most practical tasks you can do to prevent roof damage in the winter is to get regular inspections, including one before the temperatures begin to drop steadily. Hiring professional roofers to identify any minor problems that can be exacerbated by winter weather can greatly reduce the risk of possible leaks on your roof and water damage.

Preemptive repairs and replacements

Nothing explicit sags in the roof, missing shingles, or leaks will clearly indicate that repairs or a replacement are in order. Contact roofing Calgary professionals to help you tend to necessary repairs that will protect your home and your roof come winter. If you neglect to make these repairs, winter weather could make these problems worse where water damage could affect the structure of your home, which can be a much more expensive problem to fix than just minor roof repairs.

Conclusion

Tending to any roofing problems before winter breezes through Canada can ultimately save you money and is a great way to protect your precious sanctuary. Contact your local roofing Calgary companies to inspect and ensure your roof is properly prepared for winter.