In the winter, does your roof often get big shelves of ice along the edges when it's snowy? If so, your home is developing what are known as ice dams. While ice dams may not look too concerning, they are not good for your roof. They can work their way under the edges of shingles, pry those shingles off the roof surface, and allow water to seep in behind them. This shortens the lifespan of your roof.
If your current roof has ice dams and the time has come to replace that roof, you should make your roofer aware that ice dams have been an issue. Talk to them about the following ways to ensure your new roof is less prone to ice dams.
Adding More Insulation
Insulation can be key in preventing ice dams. It keeps the heat down inside your home so it does not radiate up through the roof's peak and melt the snow. Your roofer may be able to install insulated sheets under your primary roof material. Or, they may recommend having the underside of your roof sprayed with spray foam insulation for its superior insulating capacity.
Adding More Vents
It's also important that your roof is well-ventilated. Good vents allow heat to escape from your attic so the heat does not escape through your roof itself. Your roofer may opt to add a ridge vent to your new roof. This is a type of vent that runs the entire length of your roof peak. They may also install some soffit vents, which are smaller vents that rest under the eaves of the roof. Ridge vents and soffit vents work well when paired together.
Using A Different Roof Material
Some homes are prone to ice dams regardless of how well the attic is vented and insulated. The layout may simply not allow for enough vents or insulation to be added. In cases like this, your roofer may recommend using a roofing material other than shingles. Metal panels and tile roofing both tend to work well. Ice dams don't really form on metal since melting snow slides right off of the metal. And tile is heavy enough that ice won't really get behind it, even if ice dams do form.
If your current roof is prone to ice dams, make sure you let your roofer know. They can take the steps above to ensure your new roof does not have the same struggles.
Contact a residential roof replacement service to learn more.
After struggling with the appearance and structural integrity of my home, I realized that I had to do something to make a difference. I realized that part of the issue had to be the roof, since the home had been in my family for years and nobody had ever addressed the roof before. I met with a roofing team to talk about the problem, and they were instrumental in helping me to get things sorted out. After a few renovations, things had really improved, and I felt like things were on the up and up. I wanted to start a blog that focused on finding roofing for your home, so check out this blog.