snow roof

Old man winter is blowing colder every day, but the real issue with your home this winter may not be the cold as much as the snow. If excessive snow has been building up on your roof, you may be putting your roof’s structure under a lot of extra strain – a level of strain that it may not have been designed to handle. For this reason, it’s important that excess snow is removed from your roof to prevent damage that may require expensive repairs. Here’s a look at what can happen to your roof during periods of heavy snowfall.

Is it Time for Roof Snow Removal? Absolutely!

Your roof is designed to deal with a particular amount of dead weight, often referred to as a snow load. However, the past couple decades have seen extreme weather, such as tornadoes where there have not been any in the past, extreme droughts and heavier snows that have been found on average in historical records. These changes to our climate mean that we need to make changes to our building practices, but existing structures can’t always be updated as simply as that.

Excess Weight On Your Roof Can Cause Serious Damage

The structure of your roof consists of framing members in the form of rafters or trusses, which is topped with roof decking, the platform onto which your roofing material is attached. If it was designed for a 15 pounds of snow per square foot, but you’ve received heavier snows than that, it can cause serious stress to your roof’s structure. The excess weight can cause the decking to crack and break if it has a weak point. If the decking is sound, the weight can be passed onto your roof’s framing members, which can also fail. This causes serious damage to your roof, which allows water to leak into your home, causing significant, costly damage.

AVA Can Handle Your Snow Removal On Your Roof

If your roof is strained over excess snow weight, it’s important that you have roof snow removal performed as soon as possible. Has your roof suffered serious damage due to a heavy snow load or are you concerned that your roof may not be able to handle a snowy winter? If it has, our team of experienced craftsmen is ready to help. Please feel free to reach out to AVA today with your questions, for further information or to get a free quote from our exceptional contractors.

Located in and around Buffalo, NY? Call AVA!