Every winter season brings the threat of damage to your roof.  Repairing the roof can be a huge financial burden.  It is beneficial to be aware of these issues and how your roof has performed in the past, prior to the winter season.  This way you can be as prepared as possible in dealing with them.  Following are some tips for preventing snow build-up.

Snow build-up on the roof is dangerous for many reasons.  Not only is it heavy, causing a structural strain on your house, but also it generally has nowhere to go but down.  This can cause damage to roofing materials, the eaves as well as anything caught underneath it when it falls.  Measures to take in order to prevent snow build-up include:

1. De-Icing Tapes are heated cables installed along the roof eaves, in gutters and downspouts.  The cables are attached to the shingles in a zigzag pattern.  They are heated electrically and must be powered through a waterproof electrical outlet for safety.  There must be an allowance made for the proper drainage of the water, in order to prevent Ice Dams.  De-Icing tapes create drainage channels for the water that would otherwise freeze in the gutters or behind an Ice Dam.

Heat tapes and de-icing cables are available in lengths varying from 30 feet to 150 feet and can be purchased at most home improvement stores, however it may be beneficial for you to bring in the professionals.  They are operated with 120 volts of electricity for maximum snow melting.

1. Snow guards are used to hold snow in place and to prevent it from falling off the roof.  The Snow guard is metal, and is installed in staggered rows along the edge of the roof.  They are available in different lengths to accommodate different placements, including one for use over the doorways.

Roof top snow build-up is a serious issue that can cause major problems.  Make certain that you are aware of your options in making your home as safe as possible when it comes to falling snow.  In addition, you will be saving yourself the excess stress and financial burden of repair a roof damaged by snow.

Sources:  http://articlesupport.com/2009/11/18/keeping-the-winter-ice-away/

http://www.homeownercare.com/how-to-control-ice-and-snow-on-your-roof/2009/11/

Snow Loads

Snow loads are a major problem for many homes in the winter. Different homes have various live loads (temporary load that a roof structure is designed to support). Many homeowners find themselves with snow loads their roofs are unable to handle which leads to leaking and other permanent damages. As you already know, snow is essentially frozen water. That being said, snow loads can vary due to several factors such as height and moisture content ranging from dry to wet.

The water content of snow varies; dry snow has approximately 4% water content, while wet snow has approximately 35% and Ice is about 95%. Currently the average roof is able to support about 20 lbs per square foot. It is important to remember that this varies due to poor construction and cheap building materials.

Homes come into real danger when the snow on a roof becomes very wet or turns into ice. Since a cubic foot of ice almost weighs a cubic foot of water you can imagine the strain that is put on a roof when there are a few inches of ice (since a square foot of 3 inches of waters weighs approximately 16 lbs). It is impossible to tell whether your house was built to withstand heavy snow loads unless you were highly educated in engineering and construction. Therefore the safest move is to have the snow removed in order to save your home from extensive damages.

Being up on a roof can be very dangerous never mind when it is covered in snow and ice. This is why it is very important to hire a professional who has experience in snow removal. Remember it will be very cost effective to solve the problem as soon as possible before really serious damage is done to your home.

Drift

Snow drift plays a major role in roof damage. This is because it displaces large amounts of snow on particular areas of a roof. Snowdrift is the process of wind moving snow and placing it in a different area. The drift generally stops at stationary objects such as walls or changes in the slope of a roof.  This process is quite common and can cause a great deal of stress on a roof.