How do you know that your roof can withstand the weight of this coming winter’s snow? Snow can weigh over 21 pounds per cubic foot. This means that a blizzard depositing several feet of heavy, wet snow can pose a real danger for a flat or older roof.
Signs That Your Roof Is in Trouble
Take a good look at your roof before the snow falls. From outside, does it look like it’s sagging anywhere? If so, it may be ready to give way in that spot. There are also potential problems if there are any cracks in the exterior walls or if anything attached to the roof, like the gutters and drain pipe, seems bent.
From inside the building, do the sprinkler heads look lower than they used to be? If you can hear new noises from above or if you spot a leak in the ceiling that was never there before or even if doors or windows are suddenly harder to open, there could be a roof problem.
What You Can Do
Even if you just slightly suspect that your roof might be in trouble, it is definitely worth checking it out. If your roof gives way this winter, not only will it need to be redone, but most likely the floors beneath will be ruined as well. If they are not damaged by falling debris, the melting snow could cause flooding and mold.
Worst of all, if you and others regularly go onto the roof to sweep or shovel off the snow, people could be injured or even killed by a collapse. Hire an inspector and listen to what he or she says. Repairs now will be better than a complete re-roofing later.
What Else You Can Do
For the ultimate in peace of mind, however, a roof snow load calculator is a very smart service to have. This calculator is not something you try and figure out on your own during the next snowfall. The snow load calculator is a service you can purchase that does all of the calculations for you. It sends you data in real time as well as alarms if it senses your roof may be in trouble.
You can also make sure that the roof and gutters are clear of fall leaves and sticks before the snow hits. You don’t want anything that will add to the overall roof burden. Remember that old saying about an ounce of prevention.