Replacing your roof provides an opportunity to make sure the new one is designed properly for your climate. If you tend to get heavy winter snow, then there are a few roof replacement options that should be considered.
1. Weight Restrictions
Every roof is rated for how much weight it can hold. In areas that have seen increasing annual snowfall recently, your roofer may recommend shoring up the roof on older homes that aren't rated for modern snow load levels. There may be limits on roofing material choices unless reinforcement is added to the truss system, as heavier materials may not be supportable under a heavier snow load.
2. Material Choice
Metal is often touted as the material of choice in snowy climates, as it sheds snow easily and isn't prone to leaking. For those that prefer asphalt shingles to metal, there are options for snowy areas that are rated to handle heavier snow loads. Just make sure they are rated for your seasonal low temperatures as well as snow load, as some shingles are prone to cracking when exposed to extended periods of extreme cold.
3. Snow Barrier
Snow sliding off a pitched roof can be quite dangerous to anyone below, especially on sections of the roof that are above doors and walkways. A snow barrier is a bar that is installed parallel to the roof edge. It acts as a barrier that breaks up large chunks of snow so they don't slide off all at once. These are especially necessary on metal roofs as heavy snow will otherwise slide off all at once.
4. Runoff Shuttles
Roofs with skylights or lots of penetrations like vents are more prone to leaks. This is because snow can get stuck so that it collects on the upslope edge of the penetration. Adding angled wedge-shaped shuttles above each penetration will route snow and water runoff around the obstruction so that it doesn't collect or form an ice dam.
5. Heated Cabling
If snow collecting over the eaves or dropping off the roof is a concern, heat cables can be installed under the shingles at the time of roof replacement. Heated cables come on automatically when the temperature is below freezing, and they only heat the roof to just above freezing so slow melting can occur. The cables work especially well when combined with snow barriers. They will also help prevent dangerous icicle formation.
Contact roof replacement services for more help.
One day when we were all sitting in our living room, I thought I felt a drop of water fall onto my arm. At first, I figured it was my imagination, but when the second one fell, I knew we had an issue. Although it wasn't raining that day, it had rained the day before, so I started looking for the source of the problem. After looking in my attic, I could tell what the problem was, and I knew I had to fix it. I started looking for ways to stop the water immediately, but it just wasn't working for me. Fortunately, roofers came out, fixed the problem, and showed me what I needed to do to clean up the mess. Read more on this blog.