Even though we cross our fingers that it doesn’t come around again, it happens every year in Syracuse — the temperatures fall, trees shed their leaves, and eventually snow begins to fall. Snow falls, and we have to shovel our driveways, scrape the windshields, and find the longest rake or shovel we can find in the shed to scrape away layers of snow from the roof. It’s not the most glamorous task, but it must be done!
The good news is that at A Plus Property Services, we’ll do it for you! Snow can be incredibly dangerous, especially when it’s heavy, wet, and packed onto the edges of the roof and gutters. As tempting as it can be to hope the sun will come out and melt it before it can cause any real damage, let’s face it, the sun doesn’t often come out in Syracuse.
If you’ve been putting off cleaning your roof after a snowstorm, here are some reasons why snow removal is so important.
Protect Your Gutters
Snow by itself isn’t always a problem, but when snow and ice on the roof melt, runs into the gutters, and then freezes, then you could be facing a significant problem. If ice builds up in your gutters, any new water won’t have anywhere to go, resulting in excess weight and potential leaks in the roof. When left untreated, the gutters could break, and any leaks could get worse as moisture expands.
Icicles
They might be pretty to look at from far away, but icicles hanging from the roof can be extremely dangerous. Even small icicles can pose a threat as they may only get bigger as more water drips down and freezes. When large icicles aren’t taken care of, or when the underlying issue isn’t fixed, they can break and cause a lot of damage to anyone walking below them.
Ice Dams
Ice dams are formed when heat from the attic melts the snow on the roof and that moisture falls to the edge of the roof where it freezes, forming a dam. When more moisture melts and freezes on top of the dam, it gets bigger, causing a more serious issue. Ice dams can damage the roof’s structure, insulation, interior walls, ceilings, and floors. Ice dams may be caused due to poor ventilation in the attic rather than snow falling on the roof; however, heavy snowfall can certainly exacerbate the problem.
Weight
Snow and ice are surprisingly heavy. Even if your roof is brand new and can withstand a lot of weight, homeowners should still avoid having more than 20 pounds of weight per square foot of roof. If Syracuse gets a heavy, wet snowfall, keep an eye on your roof, and contact a snow removal service if you are concerned about the weight on your roof.
A Plus Property Services wants to help you protect your roof, gutters, and your home in general. Syracuse is at risk for heavy snowfall for the next few months, so keep a close eye on your roof and contact us for reliable snow removal services. You can count on us to protect your house and family.