How Excessive Snow Can Damage Your Roof

Small amount of rooftop snow can actually act as an insulator during cold winter months. However an excessive amount, like the amount we have seen here in Washington DC area during the Blizzard of 2016 can cause significant structural damage.

Although the storm has passed and the weather has warmed enough to melt a lot of the snow, home and business owners should be on alert even after the storm.
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There have been many reports of roofs collapsing across the Mid Atlantic area and Northeast.  The weight of the snow and water on the roofs are taking their toll on even the seemingly most supportive roofs.*Determining how much snow is too much snow, depends on the shape and age of the rooftop.
*If a roof is pitched or slanted, and in fairly good condition, heavier snow may be less of a problem. However, older and more flat roofs could easily succumb to the weight of the snow and fail.
*"As snow sits on roofs, especially flat ones, it compacts and becomes more dense," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mark Paquette said. "When snow and ice falls on it, it becomes heavier."
*A cold rain can also lead to heavier snow and more weight on a rooftop because when the rain falls it is then absorbed by snow already on the rooftop. As a result, the snow becomes even heavier than it was before the rain.


*If the snow becomes too heavy, it can weaken the internal structure of a roof and cause damage or even cause the roof to completely collapse.
The type of snow that falls can also contribute to the likeliness of a roof collapse.
"There are different types of snow as well that can cause various damage," Paquette said. "A lighter, fluffier snow that falls with cold temperatures is a much different story than a wet, heavy snow with sleet and rain."
The more dangerous type of snow is the wetter, heavier snow due to its increased water content. This type of snow is most common around areas in southern New England.
To prevent a roof collapse or damage due to snowfall, keep tools handy that allow for timely and easy snow removal after a storm.

Contact a roofer in your area, like Washington area flat roof specialist Boyd Construction Co Inc to get a free inspection to evaluate your roof and prevent collapse or permanent damage.
​http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/the-dangers-of-rooftop-snow/40709

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