Though it might feel like fall has just arrived, it’s important to start thinking about winter in advance and being prepared for the seasonal dangers that can potentially damage your roof.
At Alan Cherry’s Exteriors, one of the top roofing companies in Cherry Hill, we are warning residents to be aware of the dangers that piling snow can bring to your home and the structural integrity of your roof.
Snow removal is important because a large amount of snow can cause residential roofs to cave, sink in and damage to shingles and underlying wood. Many homeowners tend to underestimate just how heavy snow can be. While individual handfuls of snow aren’t very heavy, but one square foot of snow that’s one inch deep is usually considered by most experts to weigh about a pound.
This means that if your roof accumulates one foot of snow on top of it, this can equal out to thousands of excess pounds depending on the size of your roof. This is not even taking into consideration the development of ice that can result if snow is left to sit on top of your roof for too long. A single cubic foot of ice weighs about 57 pounds, meaning that a sheet of ice can do serious damage to the structural integrity of your roof should a sheet develop.
How can you tell when snow removal is necessary? As a general rule of thumb, you should clear the snow off your roof after about six inches have piled up, as well as after every ice storm or when you begin to notice that a sheet of ice is beginning to form on top of your roof.
If you suffer roof damage this winter season thanks to snow build-up, a Camden County NJ roofing contractor can help patch up your roof. Contact Alan Cherry’s Exteriors by calling 267-356-4422 should you need any winter roofing repair this season.
