Winter Roof Damage: How to Perform a Roof Inspection

The Signs That You Should Install Snow Retention

Winter has slowly faded into Spring, but as the snow and ice have melted off your roof, there might be some signs telling you the need for snow retention:

Did you hear loud noises coming from your roof early spring season? This can be a sign that snow is sliding. Beware the next time you open the door to go outside especially if your door opens where snow falls. Deaths have occurred when snow slippage is imminent and someone slams a door. Just the vibration creates an avalanche.

Did you notice large pieces of ice and/or snow coming off in big chunks?

Are pieces of your gutter coming off and during the winter, has there been ice build-up at the eave? Ice is a heavy and powerful factor in gutters becoming disconnected from the structure.

Are there high spots of snow and ice piled at the eave line on the ground? This might mean that snow or ice has come off that place during the winter.

Check Your Roof For Winter Damage

As the snow melts off of your roof, it can be nerve-wracking to make the first trip up to the top of your house to assess the damage. With snow and ice sliding on and pulling at your roof all winter, there aren’t many homes that make it into the spring time unscathed.

Throughout the winter time, you may notice large icicles forming at the edge of your roof or you may even see sheets of snow hanging off of your roof. The pressure that this snow and ice puts on your roof throughout the winter time can be extremely damaging.

First, you should figure out when you are going to inspect your roof. It’s a good idea to check your roof two times a year to repair the natural wear and tear that weather brings.

Second, once you get up on your roof you should make sure that you know what to look for based on the material that is used for your roof. When looking for damage, you’ll want to look for different things depending on the type of roof you have. For example, if you have an asphalt roof, you’ll want to check the gutters for buildup of small, sandy granules indicating that the shingles are wearing down. If you have wooden shingles, check to see if they’re warping or rotting. If you have slate, clay tile, or cement tiles it is important that you inspect them to find any ice damage, broken tiles, chipped tiles, or missing pieces. Be sure to use proper safety equipment while performing this inspection.

Third, be sure to check flashings where pipes come through the roof to be sure they are in good shape. Look at rubber boots around penetrations that might be cracking and roof mastic that has cracked and hardened. Valleys, hips and roof-to-wall junctions also have flashings that should be checked. These are common locations for leaks and relatively inexpensive and easy to fix.

Fourth, if you find that a third of your roof is damaged, it’s probably time to call a professional. You want to make sure that your roof is in good working order year round to ensure it is always there to protect you and your home. Roof consultants are also available to inspect your roof. They know the code requirements and best roofing practices to ensure a proper inspection.

If Snow Retention Is Needed, WE CAN HELP…

TRA snow retention systems are available for all types of roofs and come in a variety of options. The specific snow retention equipment recommended for your roof will depend on the type of roof system installed, the pitch of the roof, snow load, sheathing type, how old the building is and budget.

Our snow fences, brackets, and clamp-ons are all types of snow retention systems that prevent large sheets of snow or ice from falling off a pitched roof. The systems hold the snow on the roof so it can gradually melt off, preventing damage to people and objects below.

At TRA Snow and Sun, we engineer and layout each project free of charge using the unique factors specific to your project. TRA Snow and Sun representatives will work with you to design the most efficient snow retention system. We can design your roof to work with a variety of applications. Just give us your project details & we will design your Snow Retention System to fit your project. For more information, call TRA Snow and Sun at 800-606-8980 or email at info@trasnowandsun.com.

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