Protecting Your Roof Against Winter Threats

With a well-built roof, your home should be protected from most of the harsh winter weather. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t sustain damage little by little over time. Professional window companies also know that this can be attributed to certain elements of winter weather and can harm your roof in more ways than you think. If you’re able to minimize or even prevent the damage from happening, you’ll save yourself from expensive roof repairs. Here are some of the common types of winter elements that can damage your roof:

Attic Condensation

When snow, ice and water build up on your roof, the warm air rising through your home can hit the cold roof deck in your attic and turn it into moisture. This will rot the wooden structure within your roof, which in turn compromises its structural integrity. To prevent this, make sure your attic has adequate ventilation. A properly vented roof can also help guard against roof damage caused by attic condensation, but you may need to have it inspected first by a professional to determine how many additional vents are needed to install on your roof.

Wind Damage 

Strong wind storms can actually occur during the winter season, which often leads to shingles being loosened, torn off or even broken off. The wind also rips off or loosens up flashing almost easily and can damage a roof's ridges and rakes since they’re more exposed to the wind stream. To avoid this from happening to your roof, we suggest working with trusted roofing and window replacement companies that offer a quality shingle roofing system with a warranty on wind damage up to 110 mph (160.9 km/h) instead of the standard three-tab warranty of 60 to 70 mph (96.5 to 112.6 km/h).

Meltwater Runoff

During winter, you may notice the ice and snow forming on your roof and then melt at times. This actually creates standing and running water each time this happens. Over time, the water will get through even the slightest crack you have on your roof and slowly damage its inner structure. By having good underlayment installed, your roof should still be mostly intact as it serves as a final layer of defense against water and other external elements. Also make sure you have your roof professionally inspected to address any cracks and minor issues that may otherwise lead to more damage and costly repairs.

As one of the best roofing and window installation contractors in the area, you can count on Abby Windows to get the job done! Call us today at (414) 209-0404 or fill out our online contact form.