Metal Roof Snow

If you’re like most people, when you imagine a roof, you don’t image a metal one. Instead, you think of a roof made with asphalt or clay shingles. However, metal roofing is among the most popular roofing choices for homeowners today. Why? Because metal roofing is a great deal more durable than other roof materials. In fact, some metal roofs carry warranties intended to last for an individual’s lifetime, and according to Armor Metal Roofing Systems, some metal roofs have been performing well for over 100 years! However, no matter how durable, protection is needed if you want your metal roof to make it through the winter.

Problems Snow Causes on a Metal Roof

If you have a metal roof, however, you will need to take extreme caution to protect that roof from snow.  Metal roof snow pile-up can be just as dangerous as other natural disasters, like tornados and floods. Allowing snow to pile up on your roof can cause a number of serious problems. Among the least serious are ice dams and leaks. When you allow snow to pile on your roof, there is a pretty good chance that it will start to melt when weather temporarily warms up or heat from the home makes the snow less dense. Then, as the weather begins to cool again, the water will re-freeze creating ice. Ice on the roof can cause dams in between which liquid water is trapped. This can seep through your roof into your ceiling, even if you have a metal roof. If water seeps through, you can get ugly brown spots on your ceiling, or, in the worst cases, puddles of water in your home and a destroyed ceiling. Additionally, improperly cared for snow on the roof can lead to melted water that runs into your gutters and freezes again, causing your gutters to detach from your house. This is a serious problem that cannot be easily fixed and can cost a great deal of money to repair.

However, the most serious problem with metal roof snow is the potential for catastrophic roof collapse. That’s right, if enough snow and ice pile up on your roof, it can collapse, causing an untold amount of damage to not only your roof, but also the structure beneath and the items in the home. In fact, a roof collapse can leave your home “totaled,” so to speak, leaving costs that are likely beyond what your insurance will cover.

Metal Roof Snow Problems:

1. Ice Dams
2. Roof Leaks
3. Snow Slides
4. Water leakage into the home.
5. Frozen Gutters that detach from the home.
6. Roof Colapse

How to Protect Your Metal Roof From Snow

Metal Roof Snow Removal

Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can protect your metal roof from the dangers of snow damage. The first task is relatively difficult, but without additional equipment to protect your roof it is a necessary to clear your own metal roof of snow. One of the best ways to engage in snow removal is to get a snow rake and simply clear the snow off your roof. This takes a great deal of time, but it is necessary if you want to keep your roof and home safe. You need to remove the snow from your roof after every storm in which there is accumulation, remembering that snow may accumulate to greater degrees on your roof than on the ground because of the direction of the wind.

Unfortunately, removing snow off the roof by yourself is not an option for many. In some cases, it is just too dangerous. Roofs that are very high or that are sloped in a dangerous way may be too difficult to rake well. In other cases, individuals may just have too difficult a time removing the snow. For example, the elderly, the young, and people who do not have experience working with roofs or working with heights may have a hard time removing snow from their roofs on their own.

Some of these people will call professional snow removal teams to free their roofs of snow and ice. This is an option, but it can be costly. After all, some winters are very heavy with snow, and calling a professional after every downfall can be very expensive.

Snow Removal Tools

Instead of trying to remove snow yourself or call a team of experts to do it, there are some things you can do to prepare your metal roof from for the winter. When you make your roof ready for the winter, you can easily avoid the problems of snow build-up by creating a roof that makes it harder for snow to pile up and cause roof damage.

Metal Roof Snow Guards and Metal Roof Snow Stops

First, you can obtain metal roof snow guards or metal roof snow stops, which are very similar products. They are devices that keep snow from piling up on a metal roof by making it easier for that snow to fall off in small increments as it slowly melts. This means that snow and ice will not pile up on your roof. It will also not fall down avalanche-style, which can be very dangerous. There are many different types of snow guards and stops, many of which are intended to enhance the beauty of your home and roof. However, it is important that you purchase metal roof snow guards so that they fit appropriately on your roof.  Click here to buy Metal Roof Snow Guards online.

Metal Roof Snow Fence

In addition to snow guards and stops, the metal roof snow fence is another way that individuals can protect their roofs against the large amount of falling snow they receive because of drafts. A snow fence is a device intended to catch snow so that it piles up in one place. Using one of these devices can direct snow away from the roof or onto a certain area where it will be easier to deal with.

Melting Snow

Of course, a final way to deal with piling snow on a metal roof is to melt the snow. Some people try to do this with salt or other melting agents. However, it is important to remember that if snow melts and then quickly freezes again, it becomes ice, which, as explained above, is just as damaging to your roof. Additionally, if you melt snow at the same time, it could lead to an avalanche of snow, which can be dangerous not only for your roof but also for your safety.

Making a Decision to Protect Your Roof

If you don’t protect your metal roof from the snow, it could end up not only damaging your roof but also damaging your home, your belongings, and your family. Although there are many ways to deal with snow and ice build up on your metal roof, preparing your roof for the winter is the easiest, least expensive, and least dangerous way. When you purchase snow guards, snow stops, and even snow fences, you can avoid the problems that too much snow can cause. Contact a professional metal roofing contractor Armor Metal Roofing to find out more and get a free quote on these metal roof snow protective devices.  Another great feature of adding metal roof snow protection is that the home insurance company may reward you for placing these protective elements on your roof because you are making life in your home less risky.

Don’t let snow be the literal downfall of your home. Protect your roof with snow guards, stops, and fences from Armor Metal Roofing.