How to Avoid Snow Accumulation on the Roof

Snow becomes a serious problem during the winter months. It weighs a lot, it freezes and, in addition, it's located in high areas, which can pose a risk to the structure itself.

In winter, adverse weather conditions develop that can damage your home from the outside. Therefore, it’s important that we know some tricks to avoid the accumulation of snow on the roof.

Believe it or not, this can become a serious problem, in the same way as torrential rains, hurricane-force winds or excessive insolation. The structures of the house can even become damaged if we don’t have effective solutions in place.

It’s better to take care of what we have than to lose everything simply through neglect. In other words, we must be careful with these temporary factors, since they can cause serious damage that, in the long term, takes its toll and generates imperfections.

Snow on the roof: what can happen?

Heavy snowfalls usually occur in the cold periods of December, January, and February. This doesn’t mean that at other times they don’t also occur, but they’re less common. If you live in a region where there’s a predisposition to these adverse weather situations, then you must take action on the matter.

The accumulation of snow on the roof implies an additional weight that can pose a risk to the structure itself. This can cause the collapse and destruction of the roof, especially if you let the snow remain for a long time.

On the other hand, cracks or breaks can be generated that give rise to leaks, as well as the displacement of the tiles. It must be taken into account that snow freezes and turns into ice, and thus can cause fractures in the materials. In this way, there would be no choice but to carry out repairs on the roof.

Formulas to avoid snow accumulation on the roof

Obviously, there’s no magic formula with which to avoid its accumulation, but it’s possible to apply some tricks with which you can save greater evils. The most important thing is that you’re proactive and know when, how, and in what way the snow will occur.

• Make sure that the roof is well insulated. Under tiles are essential, basically because they prevent the entry of water and humidity, and also serve as a resistant layer, together with the rest of the structural materials.
• If you have the opportunity to remove the snow, then it’d be a good option. It’s advisable to remove as much of the weight as possible. Because, as we’ve already seen, weight is the biggest problem.
• Another more technological and efficient option is trace heating. This is arranged by the gutters or by the surface on the roof. In this way, a direct heat is transmitted that generates the instantaneous melting of the snow. Also, they’re sometimes called de-icing cables.
• The surface must be clean and free of other deposits that could favor the accumulation of snow. For this reason, it’s important to do periodic cleaning of the roof exteriors and analyze their condition. It’s a way to keep it in good condition.

The slope of the roof, the ideal resource

If we’re looking for a formula that’s efficient, it’s convenient to know that the answer lies in the construction itself; that’s why a Tudor-type gable structure is really important for snow to slide to the ground.

The Nordic countries tend to make houses with much steeper roofs, unlike the Mediterranean style. In this way, they’re better prepared for heavy snowfalls, since the precipitation will run off easily as the surface doesn’t favor retention.

This system is effective and much safer. In fact, houses that don’t have these types of structures are more likely to pile snow at a much higher rate.

Calling professionals is the best solution

In the event that we don’t want to venture out to remove the snow from the roof or that we don’t have other systems to avoid its accumulation, there’s a safe option: call in professionals! Experts who, in a short time, can remove the snow and leave the roof completely clean.

In short, prevention is everything to avoid damage in the future. Without a doubt, it’s worth making an adequate investment to guarantee an efficient result and prevent problems.