Winter in Wisconsin is tough! After a big snowstorm, many homeowners are concerned about their roofs. How much snow is a cause for concern? What can you do to keep your roof safe? If you have a concern, will any roofing companies inspect your roof? Shannon Alberts, VP of Sales and Marketing at Security-Luebke Roofing, shares some winter roof maintenance tips. If you ever have a roof emergency, please call our roofing hotline. We always have a service technician ON CALL for you, 24/7 at 920-766-3464.
Preparing for Winter and Snow
Before winter or a big snow, there are some things you can do to prepare your roof! If you know that you have areas (based on attic ventilation, heat loss, architecture or drainage) that are problems, getting ice melt products into the gutter ahead of time is helpful. Products like Ice Dam Blaster (tubes) or Roof Melt (pucks) are easy to use. Make sure the product is safe for roofing and aluminum (gutters).
It is also helpful to have a roof rake handy to keep the eves clear. This helps prevent ice dams from forming. Clean up the slope a few feet, past where the eve ends (imagine the interior wall extending up and out of the roof… clean just past there).
When deciding on a rake, choose plastic or PVC over metal. If you do use metal, make sure it has wheels. It’s important to be very careful not to bang the handle on the gutter and avoid scraping the shingles, as this can cause damage.
How Much Snow Can Roofs Handle
Having lots of snow on your roof is rarely a concern. Construction requirements for the past 100+ years have accounted for snow loads in excess of 4-5 feet. Snow weighs about 20 pounds per cube foot, give or take. It always looks worse than it is, so if you’re concerned, call a roofing expert to take a look.
Have an Inspection
Do you have any roofing concerns? Inspections, repairs and even full roof replacements can happen during the winter months. We would love to take a look at any problems that you may have.
Please call us at (920) ROOFING for your inspection!