There’s no way to avoid snow building up on your roof in the winter. This is New England, after all. What you can do, however, is do what you can to prevent that snow buildup from causing ice dams. Ice dams form when snow on your roof starts to melt, runs down your roof, and then refreezes when it reaches the eaves. They might look like nothing more than big icicles, but ice dams can lead to water backing up under your shingles and cause damage to your home. At Sirois Contracting, we know that a significant part of NH roof repair is avoiding problems before they happen.
Here’s what you can do to avoid major NH roof repairs because of ice dams.
Improve Your Insulation
Ice dams form because the temperature of your roof is warmer than the exterior temperature. To prevent the lower layers of snow on your roof from melting, ensure that your attic has proper insulation so that the temperature of your roof is as close to the exterior temperature as possible. When your attic is not adequately insulated, heat from your home escapes through your roof, melting the lower layers of snow.
Check Your Ventilation
Insulation helps control the temperature of your attic and roof, but ventilation is important, too. If there isn’t adequate ventilation in your attic, it will get too warm up there, causing the snow to melt. Installing soffit and ridge vents is one of the most effective ways to ensure adequate ventilation in your attic. It keeps the temperature consistent and prevents snow from melting unevenly. You should also seal any gaps in the floor, walls, and ceiling of your attic to prevent warm air from seeping in.
Keep Up with Maintenance
Before snow starts to fall this year, have a roofing professional inspect your roof and recommend maintenance and repairs. Minor issues may not seem like a big deal now, but they can turn into major problems pretty quickly when ice and snow are involved. It’s much easier to handle small repairs and routine maintenance now than to deal with major fixes in the winter.
NH Roof Repair | Sirois Contracting
Keep up with your NH roof repair with our team at Sirois Contracting. We’ll take care of roof repairs and maintenance so that you can have peace of mind that your home and family are protected, especially during a harsh New England winter.
