The Minnesota winter can be incredibly harsh on your home, and your roof is the first line of defense against the elements. One of the potential dangers of winter is a build-up of water that forms an ice dam in your gutters. This ice dam can cause some pretty significant issues if not taken care of, a lot of which are not easily seen.
Potential Hidden Issues Caused By Ice Dams
Potential for Mold
Because an ice dam backs up water, the potential for that water to back up under your shingles is high. If the water makes its way up under the shingles, the water will then find itself in your roof. This can lead to mold growth in your roof/attic.
Reduced Effectiveness of insulation
If water does make its way into your attic, this can also lead to your insulation being damaged. Wet insulation’s effectiveness is drastically reduced.
Roof Damage & Potential Collapse
Your roof’s structure can also be greatly damaged by water. With any wood structure, water can lead to mold and rot, leading to weak points in the overall structure. If this goes on for long, and more areas are affected, this can lead to potential roof collapse.
Ways to Protect Your Home
Roof Inspection
The easiest way for any homeowner to combat these issues is to inspect their roof and attic space at least once a year. A visual inspection, especially at the very corners where your roof/attic meet your home, can show you if any problems are beginning to make their presence known.
Increase Insulation
Increasing the amount of insulation in your home is also another way to combat ice dams and their potential risks. Ice dams form when warm air from your home rises into your attic, which melts the snow enough to turn into water, and then can re-freeze. Increasing your insulation will help keep your home warm and your attic cold. Which leads to the next tip…
Keep the Entire Roof Cold
This may seem counterintuitive at first glance, but this is actually a really important part of caring for your roof in the winter. If your roof is cold, it will allow any snow or ice to remain frozen and not create excess water. As it does start to melt, keeping an eye out for any blockages or back-ups will be important.
Remove Snow from Roof
If you have a lot of snow on your roof, it may make sense to remove some snow before it starts to melt. The less snow on your roof, the less water mitigation you will need to worry about.
Call Prominent Construction Roofing Today!
If you aren’t sure how to proceed or just want a professional to come out and take a look at your specific situation, give us a call at Prominent Construction Roofing. We bring our years of expertise, quality workmanship, and our focus on customer satisfaction to every project we work on.
