2 Types Of Damage Wintry Weather Can Inflict On Your Home’s Shingled Roof

When winter arrives, the snow and ice are nuisances that can cause damage to your property. Not only do you have to deal with broken tree limbs and rock salt eating your pavement, but you also have to worry about what happens to your home's shingled roof during a snowstorm. 

Since the accumulation of wintry precipitation on the roof is inevitable, you need to be on the lookout for damage that it can cause. Below are two types of damage the weather can inflict on your roof during the winter months that need to be repaired to keep it from leaking.

1. Ice Dams Make Shingles Crack or Break Off, Especially Around the Roof's Edges

One type of damage that your roof can sustain during winter happens when ice dams from around the edges. As the snow and ice melt, it runs down the roof and refreezes, causing thick layers of ice to accumulate on top of the edges' shingles.

Because of the weight of the ice dams, the shingles are in danger of cracking or even breaking off. When this happens, the decking becomes exposed, making it more likely to rot and cause leaks. When the ice dams clear and you see damaged shingles, have a roofing repair professional inspect and repair the damage.

2. Ice and Snow Trap Melting Water, Causing Leaks Around the Roof's Flashing

Another issue that wintry weather creates is leaking around the roof's flashing. If a blanket of snow and/or ice is on the roof, the precipitation underneath the surface often melts first due to the warmth of your home.

Because the top layer is still frozen, it will trap the water that is trying to escape underneath. Since water follows the path of least resistance, it will find any openings in the flashing around your home's chimney, sewer pipes, and skylights, causing leaks into your house that will need to be fixed as soon as possible. 

When the chilly winter weather arrives, there is an increased chance that the snow and ice will cause damage to your home's roof. Ice dams can form along the edges, which can cause cracking and breaking of the shingles. As the frozen precipitation melts, the water can get trapped by the hardened surface layer, creating leaks around the flashing. If you find such damage after a winter storm, contact a contractor who offers residential roofing repair services to have them fix the roof before the next one hits your area.


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