Tuesday 24 December 2013

XL Roofing asks, Why is it important to dump excess snow off your roof?

XL Roofing asks, Why is it important to dump excess snow off your roof?

Getting snow off your roof is one of the services offered by one of the best Edmonton roofing companies. Getting excess snow removed is one way of making sure that you will not have to repair your roof once winter is gone. Generally snow should be removed once it forms a layer of about 6 inches on the roof. The reason why this method works is that it prevents excessive build up of ice on the roof and also prevents the formation of ice dams. Less snow means that less stress is applied on the roof and this helps prevent roof damage. Some salient reasons that advocate for the removal are discussed below.

To prevent blocked vents and formation of ice dams 

Snow does not flow like water hence it will settle on the roof. If the snow fall is consistent, it means that it will completely cover the roof surface. Edmonton roofing companies say that if this continues to happen every time it snows and if you fail to have it removed, you will end up with blocked vents. This will affect the ventilation of your ceiling space (or attic) and using the furnace to heat your home will help create condensation above your ceiling. As roofing contractors Edmonton will tell you, accumulation of snow leads to formation of ice dams and these make the blocking of the vents more serious hence another reason why snow should not be allowed to accumulate.

To prevent damaged to Eaves troughs

Eaves troughs play a functional role during the rainy weather as they provide a channel for water to drain off your roof to the main drainage system. If snow is allowed to accumulate during winter, it ends filling the eaves troughs making them heavy and in some cases, breaking them. This then means that during the rainy season, water will not be channeled to the main drainage system. The water that the roof sheds off falls along the foundation of your house and as it gets absorbed, it leads to basement leaking. Where the intensity of the rain is high, the leaking may develop and cause basement flooding. In addition, damaged eaves troughs ruin the appearance of the house and this is another reason why one of the best Edmonton roofing companies should be called to get rid of the snow before it accumulates to a level that will cause these complications.

To keep excess weight off your roof

Science teaches that anything that has mass has weight and this means that as snow accumulates on the roof, more weight is added to the roof structure. The structure is designed in such a way that it has the ideal amount of weight that it can hold comfortably. Any excess of the ideal weight stresses the roof and increases the chances of the structure of the roof getting damaged. Very heavy snow weights can cause so much pressure to the roof that it caves in. This ruins the structure of your home not to mention the fact that your household items will be damaged. In the worst case scenario, the caving can cause injury to your family and you; this is why leading Edmonton roofing contractors advise that you get the snow removed from your roof after every 6 inches of snow fall.

Call Chris Fraser at XL Roofing who will advise you  on what to do if you think you have too much snow on your roof.


Chris Fraser founder and owner of XL Roofing Edmonton

 780-466-1601