What to consider with your Roof When It Snows
With a roof that the Lansing Roofing Contractors at Raven Enterprises has installed, you don’t need to worry about the quality of workmanship affecting your roof if you get piles of snow on it. There are some good tips, however, for any roof that will help the life of that roof. We surely cannot count on not having snow on Michigan roofs!
The Raven roofing experts also remain very knowledgeable about the manufacturer’s warranty installation specifications, so can be counted on to give you solutions to snow removal based on your unique roof. For a shingled roof, for example, the prospect of ice dams is a realistic concern in a climate, such as Michigan’s, where temperatures can hover around10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. If you see icicles hanging from your roof this might be a sign that you have some ice dams on your roof’s edges, with snow melting above and running down and collecting just above this “ice dam.” This more localized concentration of the snowmelt can actually get under shingles and through to your ceiling and walls, creating the amber colored stains that alert you to roof damage.
Various products are available for roof snow-blowing or raking snow off a roof, or you can even get on your roof and use a push broom to push it off – but please – not without spiked shoes! It is also good to work in pairs when removing snow from a roof. If you are standing below and using a rake with a rake extender, also be sure to move back from the house, so you don’t cause an avalanche on yourself or a helper! Best to remove snow before it freezes, also, or melts and re-freezes, creating icy conditions.
Excessive moisture left on your roof can cause damage over time, so it is good to go over what snow can do to a roof you wish to put on your home, at the time of installation. Some, in winter wonderlands, contract at the beginning of winter with a snow removal service, also, so that at peak times, they will already have a service available, and not have to wait as long for service. With a heavy onslaught of snow, such as more than a foot on your roof, time spent waiting for snow removal solutions is going to affect the outcome to your roof. Can roofs cave in? Yes, they can, and you don’t need this happening when you most need a roof overhead in a blizzard-prone environment!
If you’re thinking about a new roof in Michigan, also keep in mind which choice might be best not only for snow removal but to help prevent accumulation. Your roofing experts at Raven Enterprises of Lansing will be happy to help you with that choice! Contact us today with any questions or for a free, no hassle estimate! 517-374-6000!
