WINTER PREP – WHAT’S YOUR PLAN?

With the winter months in full swing, Frye Roofing wants to help you minimize damage to your roof system. The combination of ice and snow on your roof can add to the stress on your roof and ultimately lead to issues you hadn’t planned on or budgeted for.

Long-Term Plan:

Ultimately, the best thing to do is to prevent problems before they start. Preventative maintenance is the best and most cost effective way to protect your home. Emergency repairs especially in the wintertime can be costly.

  • We recommend you keep your roof as well as gutters clear of debris so it doesn’t block any water running off.
  • Make sure your roof is properly insulated and that any attics are properly vented. Insufficient insulation and venting can lead to the melting of snow closest to your roof’s surface that ultimately can cause ice dams.
  • Prevention – Schedule an inspection to make sure your roof is ready to take on whatever Mother Nature has in store this winter. Inspections can be scheduled in the spring too, after freezing temperatures are over to make sure no damage was done and prevent major leaks from happening later in the year.

Immediate Steps to Take:

When you see the snow pile up, call a professional. We often are called to repair leaks in the winter months from homeowners who try to clean too much snow off their own roofs. If you can’t remove snow or ice safely from the ground, please give us a call. It is also important to remember that your roof could be leaking even if you can’t see it. Many times very small leaks are undetectable from inside and ultimately lead to deteriorated roof decking and other issues which will add to the cost of replacement when the time comes.

  • If you’re tackling the job yourself, remember a rooftop with snow or ice on it is very dangerous and your safety is more important than a roof leak. Generally it is not in your best interest to remove the snow, as it is likely to create more problems than it helps. In almost any case the roof is designed to carry the load and the snow will melt eventually. If the snow must be removed remember that less removal is more, even if some snow needs to be removed you don’t need to remove it all. Likely just removing the snow in a couple of vulnerable areas that are causing problems will take care of the issues.