The Top 3 Winter Roof Issues to Look Out for In Connecticut

As a resident of Connecticut, winter roof issues can easily arise because of freezing temperatures, snowfall, ice, and storms. Your roof protects your home and your family from the elements, but sometimes materials can fail or the winter weather can take a toll and cause damage.

Below are the top 3 types of winter roof issues we see frequently in this area and some tips on what to do about them.

#1 – Loose or Missing Shingles

It’s not just Nor’easters that can cause wind damage to your roof. Old or failing roof shingles are particularly prone to the perfect gust of wind blowing them off. This type of damage is particularly deceptive since it may seem like just a few shingles need to be replaced. Typically, this is a warning sign that your entire roof system is reaching the end of its lifespan. Additional damage can quickly happen once roof underlayment is exposed. Additionally, not taking immediate steps to protect the roof may in prohibit your changes of filing a successful claim to with your insurance company.

Tips:

After wind and rainstorms, it’s always a good idea to walk around your home and inspect for any damage, but especially loose or missing shingles. If you see anything unusual, it’s best to call in a pro for a damage assessment and free estimate.

#2 – Ice Dams

When accumulated snow melts too quickly, it can flow down your roof and refreeze close to the eves causing what is called an ice dam. Once formed, additional melting snow can back up under shingles causing damage and leaks. Additionally, ice is extremely heavy on your roof – an average of 57 pounds per square foot. So the ice dams can cause additional damage to your rain gutters as well.

Tips:

Avoid the urge to knock down icicles as that can cause more damage to your eves or create a falling hazard. Hire a professional to remove the ice dams and assess for damage.

To help prevent ice dams, ensure that your attic space has the proper amount of insulation, air leaks are sealed, and ensure that your roof has proper ventilation and properly installed shingles.

#3 – Heavy Snow

A storm dropping fluffy light snow isn’t as troublesome as the wetter stuff. Wet, heavy snow can weigh an average of 21 pounds per square foot. The average residential roof can support 20 pounds per square foot of snow. When multiple storms stack up and snow doesn’t properly melt, your roof can endure a lot of stress and slowly cause damage over time.

Tips:

Ensure your home has the proper amount of insulation to keep the attic cool. This will go a long way to help prevent ice dams as well as stress from heavy snow accumulation as the snow will be slowly melting from your roof.

If accumulation becomes too great (over 1 foot), it might be time to call in the pros to help remove some of the excess snow to avoid one of the rare, but worst case scenarios: roof collapse. If you notice your roof is visibly sagging, if there are interior wall or ceiling cracks, or interior water leaks, call in a professional right away.

Suspect roof damage? We can help!

If you’re in the Hartford, CT area, we are the company you need when you have to make an insurance claim. If you have come through a storm but aren’t sure whether you have sustained storm damage, give us a call at 860-796-5668 and schedule your free inspection and estimate.

Roofing Blog