Preparing Your Roof For Winter

Crisp frosty mornings; toasting your toes by a warm fire; putting on your wellies and taking to the hills with your kids and their trusty sledge.

While the chilly winter weather can bring with it a Christmassy atmosphere and exciting activities, it can also be a rather stressful time of the year.

Such extreme weather can cause major damage to your home, which can have devastating and costly consequences.

Lower-quality roofs and roof systems over 20 years old have a significantly greater likelihood of suffering the effects of harsh weather, which can result in major destruction that can cost thousands to repair.

While your roof may not appear problematic before snowfall, there may be hidden weak spots and weathered surfaces which are all susceptible to giving way under the weight of the snow.

Roofers tend to be at their busiest during the winter season due to the extreme temperature and snow removal, meaning it takes longer to get jobs completed.

Therefore, it is important to have your roof system inspected as early as possible to avoid any problems escalating into a larger, more costly issue.

The cold winter weather can typically cause three common problems to your roofing system: condensation, ice dams and icicles.

This article, which our experts at Abbey Roofing have put together, will serve to describe these issues in further detail and explain how they can be dealt with.

Condensation

An inadequately insulated attic is a prime contender for the development of condensation, which can lead to mould and mildew damaging the interior structure of your home.

As a significant part of an operational roof system, attics are often overlooked, so to prevent condensation you must ensure your attic is sufficiently insulated and ventilated.

This will help control indoor temperature and save energy costs.

Ice dams

Ice dams form when snow sits on the roof for a period of time and goes through a melt and freeze sequence.

As the snow melts, water travels downwards and freezes when it reaches the eaves of the roof.

If the roof is not properly vented and heat manages to escape through the shingles, it will start to melt the snow. Once this sequence of melting and freezing takes places continuously, the ice builds up and forms a dam at the edge.

The most effective way to prevent an ice dam is to keep gutters clean and carefully rake the snow from the edge of the roof, making sure to avoid damaging the shingles as they will be cold and brittle during this time of year.

Unfortunately, there is no way to completely eliminate the possibility of ice dams, but they can be minimised by taking the correct measures to avoid them in the first place, such as sufficiently venting the attic.

Icicles

Similar to ice dams, clear days and sub-freezing temperatures are the ideal weather conditions in which icicles tend to form.

They are often the result of clogged gutters and downspouts and their excessive weight can not only cause damage to your roofing system, but also presents a major hazard to people and pets too. To prevent icicles from forming, make sure you carry out regular maintenance on your roof by keeping your gutters clear of leaves, twigs and other debris.

Monitoring your roof from the indoors is just as important, so make sure you regularly check your attic or roof space for areas that are sagging while keeping an eye out for water damage and leaks.

Dark spots and drips are usually major indicators that you have a roof leak. Furthermore, check whether there is any light entering the room from outside and check your joists for woodworm, dampness, fungus and rot.

While you can identify many of the common problems with your roof by yourself, hiring the expertise of a qualified roofing contractor is the best way to receive a thorough check of the roof and have any necessary roof repairs professionally carried out.

As soon as the warmer months arrive, get in touch with your local roofing and gutter contractor to carry out gutter maintenance so any problems can be caught quickly before they escalate.

Here at Abbey Roofing, we have a dedicated and skilled team of roofers with more than 20 years’ experience working in both the domestic and commercial roofing sectors.
We work hard all year round, carrying out emergency repairs and re-roofing, and take great pride in the reliable and quality service we deliver.

We offer a range of roofing services including; lead roofing, slate roofing, flat roofing, felt roofing, sheet metal roofing, emergency roof repairs, commercial roofing, new roof installations, gutter cleaning.

To customers in Hemel Hempstead, Watford, St Albans, Bedford, Slough, Milton Keynes, Watford, Barnet, Harpenden and beyond.

Why not contact Abbey Roofing for a free quote today, quality skilled tradesmen at great prices!