Winter is Rearing Up – and Weighing Down the Roof
Snow can certainly be picturesque. But it can also be very heavy – and dangerous.
During the winter, it’s easy for snow to pile up on your roof. After all, most of your attention is probably going towards clearing off your walkways, shoveling the end of your driveway, or making sure you always have salt and sand down so people aren’t falling on your property. How often do you look up at your roof, anyway?
Out of Sight, Out of Mind . . . Right?
In the winter it is important to look up at your roof and assess how much snow and ice has piled up on it. Heavy snow and ice can pose a costly threat to your property. Heavy, wet snow can weigh as much as 21 pounds per square foot. Ice can weigh as much as 57 pounds per square foot! And an inch of ice is equal to the weight of a foot of fresh snow. That can be a lot of pressure bearing down on your roof – especially if it’s piling up day after day or week after week.
Houses built before 1975 may be especially susceptible to damage from snow and ice. Additionally, if your roof is flat or only slightly pitched, it’s going to allow snow and ice to pile up more easily than a steeply pitched roof will. All of these factors are things to consider as you assess your roof throughout the winter.
What Damage Can Snow and Ice on the Roof Cause?
Snow and ice can get so heavy that they cause structural damage. If you go up into your attic and notice things like cracks in rafters or other damage, you may want to call a professional to assess the structure.
Snow and ice build-up on your roof can also cause ice dams. When warm air from inside the house causes a layer of the snow or ice to melt, and then the outdoor temperatures cause it to freeze again after it’s dripped down to the gutters, it can do everything from pull gutters loose to cause water to start leaking inside the house.
Cleaning Off the Roof
If you believe that it’s time to clean your roof off, you should call in the professionals. Climbing up on a roof – or even raking from below – can be a dangerous endeavor. As mentioned above, ice and snow get very heavy very quickly.
At AC Yard Services, we offer roof raking services so that you don’t have to think twice about taking care of it. Our team of property maintenance professionals has the right equipment and the experience to make sure that your roof is taken care of this winter.
When you ensure that your roof is free of snow, you become a step ahead of many other costly and time-consuming issues that can occur with your property. Hiring professionals to get the job done now can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
After all, this is Maine. Ice and snow are part of our daily lives for about half the year. Dealing with it smartly can make everything much easier. Contact AC Yard Services today to get a head start on snow removal.
