With winter in full gear, you might look forward to hunkering down during harsh, cold weather. But these low temperatures and weather conditions could present a threat to the structure of your roof.
If you understand what risks could harm your roof, you can feel better prepared to protect it from major structural damage during this time of year. Understanding these concerns can help you to avoid them. Read on to learn about four issues that could affect your roof during the winter season.
Potential Roof Concerns During Winter
Leaky Flashing
Roofing contractors will lay flashing, metal strips, around the edge of structures within your roof, like chimneys or skylights. If damaged or not installed properly, flashing might start to peel away, leaving room for outdoor elements to enter the building structure.
During winter, you might experience heavy storms that bring winds and precipitation that may aggravate the flashing. This could increase the likelihood of damage to the roofing that may lead to leaks. A routine roofing inspection can ensure the flashing remains securely in place to avoid this issue.
Weather Damage
Winter brings snowfall, hail, sleet, freezing rain, and other harsh weather to the greater Maryland area. You can ensure your roof will withstand these conditions by keeping up with inspections and maintenance on this part of your home.
Snow accumulation can weigh heavily on your roof, so neglecting regular care of your roof may result in significant damage. Winter storms could hurt surrounding landscaping, and a tree limb might break and land on the roof of your home.
Maintaining the entirety of your property is therefore important to protect your roof. But if you sustain damage to your roof, do not hesitate to call a contractor about repairing these roofing problems.
Condensation in the Roof
You might already know that moisture can pose a serious threat to the structure of your home, including the roof. It can eat away at the wooden framework and breed mold and mildew.
But you might not know that condensation can build up within your roof without your awareness. If you do not have proper insulation in your attic, warm air from your heated home can more freely interact with cold outside air.
This reaction creates moisture that will condense within the roof and put your home at risk of damage. Make sure you install insulation in the attic to prevent this from occurring.
Ice Build-Up
Freezing temperatures can put your roof in danger even after bad weather passes. Ice and snow will build on your roof, and warm air from within your house may encourage this build-up to melt. It then flows down the roof but can refreeze in gutters, eaves, or lower parts of the roof.
This results in an ice dam, a collection of frozen water that can seep into the joints of your roof and expand as it freezes to hurt the roofing structure. Good insulation in the attic will reduce this risk, but make sure you consult with a roofing contractor to minimize the chances of this problem.