Common Roofing Problems

It’s that time of the year when our roof is exposed to the harsh winter elements. Now, it may seem that this shouldn’t be a problem – after all, our roofs have done a pretty good job of keeping us dry and warm in the past winters. However, this does not mean that we should completely neglect them, since doing so can cause a lot of roof problems which you surely do not want to deal with during the holidays. So as precaution, here are some common roof problems that you should be aware of this winter.

Roof Leaks

First and foremost are leaks. The sun still shines during winter, right? As such, the snow that buildup on our roofs will start to melt and turn liquid. Now, this shouldn’t be a problem, unless the melted snow starts to trickle from the roof, down to the attic, into the floorboards and onto your living room, which can be very annoying and leave unsightly watermarks. This types of leaks usually happens when there are small holes where water can pass through, like loose nails in the roof and such.

Roof Condensation

Moisture that get trapped in between the roof and the insulation can be real headache. Accordingly, this moisture will be absorbed by the wood and other porous materials in the roof, and will freeze and melt throughout the year. As this happens, the affected area will start to crack, which then weakens the roof. Aside from the dangers of your roof falling on you, excessive moisture can also leaks. And you don’t want leaks, do you? See earlier paragraph.

Roof Ice Dams

This is one of the most problematic issues that you can have with your roof. Ice dams happen because the snow on the roof melts because of the heat from your heating system and the sun, thereby letting the melted snow flow to the sides of the roof. The problem is that the snow on the sides of the roof do not melt as easy, since your home’s heating system rarely reaches that area. Thus, water starts to build up, and come nighttime it starts to freeze. By early morning you’ve got yourself an ice dam to chip away.

Roof Icicles

Okay, not so many people usually think icicles are a problem, but they actually are. If you think icicles falling onto people only happens in animated movies, think again, because they do happen in real life. Aside from falling on people, they can also do terrible damage to your property, shattering your windows, and even pulling down the gutters and the eaves.