which aired December 6th, 2019
Knowing that winter is officially here and it’s that time of year where snowstorms will be coming your way, Infinite Roofing can help you with some information on what to do during what can be a very stressful time. Any homeowners who have spent a winter full of snowstorms know how fast snow accumulates and builds up. Anyone who lives in a place where snowstorms happen frequently knows how worrying it can be when snow and ice accumulate on their rooftops. Here at Infinite Roofing, we have years of experience performing winter roof care and maintenance including snow and ice removal. The information provided below will be beneficial for both commercial property homeowners as well as regular homeowners.
Rooftop snow buildup is something to be concerned about because the extra weight on the roof can cause it to collapse or leak. It can also contribute to ice dam formation which can also cause considerable damage. Many people may not realize just how much snow can weigh. It looks very pretty but it is very heavy. Therefore, providing this information may encourage you to monitor the amount of snow that piles up on your rooftop.
Why do I need to perform rooftop snow removal?
Aside from the weight of the snow adding to any existing structural issues, one of the main reasons that anyone would want to keep their roof snow-free during the winter is to avoid ice dams forming on their roof. Snow forms ice dams because hot air always rises up from inside your house and this causes the snow to melt on an upper, warmer part of the roof, the water then starts to run down toward the eaves. As this water runs downwards it cools and freezes, forming ice. When that ice accumulates it will start to back up under the roof shingles, melt again, and then start soaking the roof sheathing and leaking into the attic or other parts of your property. This, in turn, would cause some serious damage to your roof, gutters, paint, insulation, interior drywall, and other surfaces.
If you’re able to prevent these ice dams, you’re much safer from serious leaks and damage to your property. The best way to do this is by minimizing the amount of snow on your rooftop. In other words, rooftop snow removal is a very important consideration, particularly in the harsh winters of Albany, Clifton Park and the Greater Capital Region.
When the snow begins to melt and form into ice it becomes even heavier which ends up putting pressure on the support structure of your home. One square-foot of snow at only one inch deep which would come to weigh over 1.25 pounds. In this region, it is not unusual to see that snow approach 12 inches deep or more up on your roof! In this case, you would then most definitely want to perform some rooftop snow removal measures. Maybe that doesn’t seem like a lot, but then multiply that weight by the actual size of your roof! That 12 inches of snow just became about thousands of pounds of stress and pressure building up on your rooftop. So, finding and implementing these rooftop snow removal tips will protect you and your property this winter.
When is rooftop snow removal necessary?
Many commercial roofing contractors have different opinions about how much ice and snow is too much to have on your roof. However, when you actually think about it, it all depends partly on the age of the roofing system, the style of the roof you have, the materials used, how well the roof has been maintained and additional environmental factors. If the snow buildup is excessive or you have any concerns about the integrity of your roof, snow removal should be one of your top priorities.
Develop a rooftop snow removal plan
When it comes to making a plan for rooftop snow removal, you will ultimately have to decide on the best course of action. Many visual signs may be present that indicate a safe rooftop snow load has been exceeded. One should assume that the roof is unsafe and subject to failure if any indicators are present. In this case, calling in a local, professional roofing Contractor such as Infinite Roofing would be your best bet.
When the rooftop has been evaluated, if there is a need to remove snow:
- When you know that it is safe to access the roof following a storm, the first thing you should do is clear the rooftop drain inlets and outlets. Clear drains help clear up any water from melting snow.
- Roof areas that have accumulated drifting snow may require action to remove the snow in these exposed areas. When deeper snow drifts begin to melt away it takes more time, thus increasing the likelihood of more snow or rainfall which would add to the rooftop load.
The majority of the time, roof snow raking helps clear snow and prevent the formation of ice dams. It does not prevent all ice dams entirely, but many make the mistake of not raking the snow off their roof and allowing a greater amount of ice dams to form. You’re far less likely to get an ice dam if you rake than if you don’t. When you rake, you’re going to want to reach as high up as you can. Believe it or not, shoveling or raking your own roof can actually be very dangerous! Consider hiring a professional roofing contractor, as they would be insured to be out on cold and icy roofs rather than taking the risk doing it yourself.
Rooftop snow removal on commercial roofing systems
Commercial roofs are a significant investment and this investment should be protected. Compared to any other roofs, commercial roofs can be quite fragile. Therefore when a commercial roof has too much weight on it, especially snow, it can be easily damaged due to a lot of foot traffic.
When commercial roof owners or managers decide to remove snow on their own they can often end up damaging their own property. In general, people tend to think of rooftop snow removal as similar to removing snow from the sidewalk and driveway. Therefore, they end up shoveling all the snow right off and they don’t realize that when using a shovel the blade ends up damaging the roof, causing leaks into the property.
When it comes to commercial roofing, when removing snow from the rooftop you have to leave a thin layer of snow. When removing all the snow from the roof you could end up damaging the roof membrane. Therefore, it really is best to contact a local roofing expert such as Infinite Roofing as this could save you a lot of money in the long run. If you were to hire a regular old handyman or a company that wouldn’t really know how to deal with a commercial roof, be careful that they do not make this mistake.
The benefit of hiring a local roofing contractor for your snow removal
Hiring an experienced, commercial roofing contractor to clear snow from your rooftop, they will take many more precautions than any other person you would hire.
- An expert would do cleaning inspection.
- All workers would be trained on how to clean the roof properly and safely.
- They would use specialized tools that are designed to clear snow efficiently without causing damage.
- An expert would oversee the job, guaranteeing the safety of the workers and avoiding any problems.
- They would also be fully insured, in the event any problems do arise.
Hiring a professional commercial roofing contractor that has extensive experience in commercial roofing throughout the region is very beneficial for you and your peace of mind. They would be fully trained and capable of working with commercial roofing in such snowy and icy conditions. In other words, you’re avoiding any chances of you getting hurt or any other person you might hire that does not have the necessary skills and qualifications to do the job. If a roofer from a proper commercial roofing company were to actually get hurt, they will have insurance, avoiding any liability on your part.
Importance of commercial rooftop snow removal
As a local commercial roof owner, knowing that winter is just around the corner along with a lot of snowfall on your property, there are many things to consider. One of them being that when the snow starts to accumulate on top of your building, it poses a great risk for the roof to be damaged. Therefore, it is so important for commercial property owners to be aware of the dangers that the rooftop snow can cause. We understand that all roofs are different and that some roofs have a tolerance to handle a greater volume of snow, while many others do not. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
In order to prevent any structural damage, you will want to be aware of the amount of snow accumulating on your roof and the load capacity of your roof. If you have a flat roof, snow will most likely accumulate much more. Therefore, you’re going to want to make sure that your roof is not prone to excessive snow accumulation. With these types of roofs, you’re going to want to avoid any snow level more than 18 inches on your roof. You’re going to want to monitor how much snow is on the rooftop so that you can avoid any possible collapse or damage to your commercial property and also ensure that any issues do not prevent the normal day-to-day running of your business/life.
When there is a snowstorm happening or its just snowing, snow starts to build up and on your roof. Sleet, rain, and ice can make matters worse. All this ends up causing pressure to build up on the roof and increases the odds of water running down on the roof when the heat begins to melt the snow. Therefore causing a clog on your gutter when the water refreezes.
When you take all this into consideration, hiring a commercial roofing contractor to clear snow from your rooftop can save you a great deal of hassle. You may do the job yourself, but to avoid any injuries and any complications that can cause damage to your roof or property, your best bet is to hire a professional.
Leave a Reply