Winter Roof Maintenance

If you’re like a lot of people, you are counting down the days until winter is over and warmer weather is finally here. But until the snow thaws and spring has sprung, it’s important to remember winter roof maintenance.

By maintaining the quality and integrity of your roof throughout winter you will alleviate many headaches and costly repairs to your roof in the spring and summer months.

Safely Remove Excess Snow

One way to reduce the stress on your roof is to remove excess snow. A popular choice that many homeowners make is a roof rake. Your local hardware store should be able to assist you in choosing the right rake for your home.

By removing the first 4-6' of snow from your roof, snow is more likely to melt quicker when temperatures are above freezing. It will also help prevent snow and ice buildup, ass well as the dreaded ice dam. When removing the snow with the roof rake, do not apply excessive force to the roof with the rake or you could damage your shingles.

Practice Roof Safety

If at all possible do not go on your roof during the winter months. Your roof can become very slippery and dangerous and it is not worth risking injury.

Over the course of the winter, large icicles can form on your home. If you decide to remove the icicles from your entryway, gutters or the edge of your roof, be careful and stand clear of falling ice and snow.

Remove Ice Dams

While you are outside removing snow from your roof, check to make sure you don’t have any ice dams forming in the valleys and edges of your roof. If you spot an ice dam, it is recommended to remove the ice dam before it potentially damages your roof and gutters.

For more information on ice dams, visit our post on how to spot, prevent and remove ice dams.

If you suspect your roof has damage from winter storms or ice dams, an HW representative is happy to provide a roof evaluation.