Regardless of whether your roof is commercial or residential, the winter season will still be a challenge that it will have to meet. That’s because the season’s climate and weather can and will affect your roof, and even your siding, in largely the same way. This means that you need to prep your roof for the same risks and plan for the same issues. Here are a few of these common issues you may be facing during the winter.
Snow Drifts
When snow piles up on your roof and you don’t have a heating and drainage system that effectively takes care of this, you might have to deal with more than just a foot of snow overhead. There are multiple risks here.
Firstly, snow can be heavy, and your roof might not be rated to take on all that added weight. Secondly, you might be tempted to go up yourself to shovel the drift, but you might not have the skills or the equipment to do this safely. This is why you’ll need the services of the best roofer in your area to help you with this.
Ice Dams
Ice dams are a side effect of snow accumulation and improperly heated roofs. When the snow piles up close to the peak of the rooftop, where pockets of heat within your attic space might be trapped, the snow could definitely melt. While this isn’t a bad thing per se, this can be problematic when the snow gets to the colder portions of your roof. The snowmelt could then refreeze and form barricades of ice that can prevent future snowmelt from draining away from your roof.
This means that if the snowdrifts continue to melt because of that heat pocket, the melted slush is likely to puddle and pool on your roof, which can lead to faster wear and tear of materials. If this problem doesn’t get addressed right away, you might even end up having to get a roof replacement.
If you want to know more about the issues that can affect your commercial roof during winter, give Bradford Xteriors Inc. a call. We’ll be happy to tell you more about what risks you might be facing, and help you in preparing for, and fixing, these issues when they happen. Fill out our contact form or call us at (614) 483-6215. We serve residents of Ohio, including Columbus, OH.