When the winter season starts, several parts of your property can be severely damaged, including the roof. Water and snow can freeze quickly on the roof, leading to ice damage that could be expensive to repair. The damage can also be a safety concern, meaning you have no time to waste. If you believe your roof has been damaged by snow or ice, you will want to get it fixed before it worsens. To help you prevent severe damage to your roof, we have created an outline of issues that can be caused by winter weather and ways to respond.
Common Roofing Issues Caused By Cold Weather
Ice Dams
The gutters are the main drainage system on your roof. Gutters are designed to move water off and away from your property. However, water and snow can freeze around entry points in the winter and cause an ice dam to form. With no way of leaving the roof, trickling water can leak into your property.
Freezing Cracks
Ice and snow can damage a perfectly functional roof during the winter season. Imagine what it can do to an old roof with existing damage. If you know your roof has cracks or similar damage, getting it fixed before winter can help you save on a more expensive repair or restoration project. Melting water can find its way into cracks and damaged areas where it could freeze, expand, and worsen the damage.
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Condensation
A potential roof problem doesn’t always occur on the outside, it can be due to moisture building up from within. Cold weather hitting the outside of your roof can meet the warm air coming from inside your home, creating condensation on the inside. This sets up the potential for mold growth and structural damage.
Ways to Respond to an Ice Dam On Your Property
The longer the issue is left untreated, the more damage the ice dam can do to your roof. If you’re noticing massive icicles forming and snow piling up, you need to act quickly. Those icicles and snow can pull down your gutters or not allow proper drainage, which could lead to water leaking into your property. Here’s what you can do when ice dams form.
- Prop a box fan in your attic and point it toward the underside of the roof where water is leaking. The cold air in the attic will eventually freeze the water, temporarily stopping the leak.
- From a safe distance, use a roof rake to get piled-up snow off your roof.
- Grab some ice melt and fill a pair of pantyhose. Next, carefully place it over the ice dam and overhang the gutter. This will help create a path for water to leave your roof.
Roof Leak Repair and Restoration
If you notice ice damage on your roof, give our team of technicians a call at (877) 589-7504 to book an appointment. Our team offers comprehensive water damage restoration services in Houston, TX and other locations. Our professionals have the equipment and tools necessary to perform an emergency roof leak restoration project in your home or business. Do not ignore excess ice on your roof. If your roof is old, the ice can cause severe moisture damage when it starts to melt.
Our staff also offers other types of restoration solutions such as storm damage repair, burst pipe maintenance, water mitigation, crawl space drying, and water extraction. Our restoration specialists are available any time of the day, any day of the week to help you with ice damage on your roof or other issues in your house.
