After the intense 2014 “Snowvember storm” in Western New York, you probably noticed many area roofs were damaged from the weight of heavy snow. Six feet of snow in less than two days is an awful lot of snow– and awful is the right word, for sure. Too much snow on a roof can lead to cave-ins.
Snow and ice mess with Western New York roofs in the winter– there’s no doubt of that. If you have a sloping roof, you may notice “ice dams.” Snow starts to melt on a roof, and water starts to flow downward until it hits the colder eaves and freezes up. This causes ice dams, where ice acts like a dam, preventing melting snow water from getting to the gutters properly.
As you can imagine, ice dams and other roof problems in the winter can become a nightmare if not fixed right away. Obviously, you want to avoid water leaking into your attic through curled shingles and seals, damaging your ceilings, walls and insulation. Also, God forbid a piece of ice falls off the roof and hits a person in the head, you know?
Ivy Lea Construction knows all about roofs, and can make sure your roof has adequate insulation and that your attic has proper ventilation to help control the freeze-thaw cycle during the winter months, which can really test a roof’s endurance.
Sometimes it’s something as simple as hiring someone with a “roof rake” or shovel to go up on your roof and remove snow and ice so it’s not stuck there, causing problems.
If you suspect snow and ice are wreaking havoc with your roof during a harsh Buffalo winter, don’t hesitate to call Ivy Lea Construction at 716-875-8654.