How Snow and Ice Impact Your Roof

When you have a standard dark-colored, mechanically fastened roof with board insulation, warmed air from the inside of your building leaves through its cracks, holes, and seams. When snow melts around those areas, here come the ice dams and one leaky roof.

We all know that heat rises. When the heated air from the inside of your building starts to rise, that snow is going to begin melting. The snowmelt migrates to other parts of the roof where it starts to freeze again. This creates an ice buildup, or ice dam, around the cracks and seams. It then forms a valley for water to sit and collect. This water will eventually start leaking through the roof, causing further damage.

Consider protecting your investment with spray polyurethane foam (SPF) and/or a silicone roof coating solution. Not only will it insulate your building, it will prevent your current roof, whatever the type, from succumbing to the harsh environment it is exposed to day after winter day. Any existing holes and open seams will be filled. This will create a seamless air barrier to stop the snowmelt. If no warm air can escape, then no snow can be melted. Also, ice dams will not be able form if there are no open seams. Leaks will become a thing of the past.

Stopping air loss through the roof will also stop wear and tear on your HVAC system. All in all, you will be giving your roof a lifetime of snow and water damage, and corrosion protection. A Benefit, this can make your energy bills go down. And imagine saving even more money by avoiding a costly roof tear-off! Keep the warm air inside of your building every winter.