The Damaging Effects of Winter on Your Flat Roof

Storms and heavy snowfall have the potential to damage your roof severely. Sometimes it can be difficult to identify the signs or potential hazards. Here are a few tips to determine what to look out for:

Damage Due to Water
With all the freezing and thawing that goes on throughout the winter season, the potential for water damage is high. Often, this is one of the first signs to indicate that something is not right with your roof. Water damage could happen if it drains inadequately, allowing it to enter gaps in the structure of the roof. This allows it to enter underneath the roofing membrane. As it refreezes, it will expand and widen the gaps, worsening the damage and allowing more water in each time.
Pooling and Leaks
If there are any places on your roof that have weakened and begun to form a depression over time, water from melting snow will start to pool here. This will create problems of its own, but will also make any other potential issues worse, including leaks.
Gutter Problems
Water buildup during the winter can lead to a variety of gutter problems. The gutters are under heavy stress attempting to drain the water, and the quick shifts in temperature can cause it to freeze rapidly. This buildup of ice prevents proper drainage and puts unnecessary pressure on your gutter system. It may even result in you needing to remove portions to allow for adequate drainage and debris or replace damaged pieces.
Excessive Snowfall
Snow is quite heavy. On average, a cubic foot weighs anywhere from 12-20 lbs. If your flat roof is covering a 10,000 square-foot industrial building, 6 inches of snow can weigh up to 50 tonnes. Considering in Ontario the amount of snowfall we receive in an average winter, it’s not unreasonable to assume the weight on your roof will exceed this. Carrying this heavy load of snow puts strain on all of the load-bearing aspects of your roof, leading to potential damage and even collapse if it is not taken care of properly or if any of the materials are weakened.

When discussing roofing repairs due to ice or snow, a primary factor is ice dams.

How Are Ice Dams Formed?

They are the ice walls that develop at the edge of a roof and in the gutters. They are formed when the snow accumulates on the roof, and the temperature is below 0°C. The melted snow then freezes to create ice and does not allow water to drain.

What Are the Signs of Ice Dams?

Here are the most common indications:

Spotting icicles on the edge of your roof.
Formation of ice behind the gutters installed.
Finding ice through the soffit.
Ice or water on the exterior walls.

What Are the Damages Caused by Ice Dams?

Water can seep into the walls, insulation, and ceilings.
They have the potential to pull off gutters, causing structural damages.

Now that you are aware of all the indications of snow or ice damage do not hesitate to contact the professionals at Can-Sky Roofing if you experience any problems.

Adopt Preventive Measures to Avoid Costly Roof Repairs

At Can-Sky Roofing, we provide a complete inspection of your roof to help you avoid an expensive roof replacement. We also offer 24-hour emergency repairs in Toronto including gutter repairs and other roofing services in the GTA. For more information or to request a no-obligation estimate, call our team at 647-691-0487 today.