Category: Roofing Tips

Winter and spring bring snow to Colorado and this snowy season has been a doozy. Thousands of homeowners across the Front Range are watching large amounts of snow pile up on their roof and worrying if their home can take it. The bad news is abundant volumes of snow are bad for your home, but the good news is most snow is good for your home and roof. Let’s learn why snow on your roof is a good thing and when you should worry.

Snow Acts as Insulation

If you’re trapped in the winter conditions, you’re instructed to dig underneath the snow for safety. That’s because the air trapped in snow is an excellent insulator. A coating of snow is not your roof’s enemy – it’s extra insulation. Snow can help regulate attic temperatures to help you avoid condensation, drips, and other issues that come with out of control attic temperatures.

Use Frost and Snow for an Insulation Test

You can use frost and small snow amounts to judge your attic space’s insulation. Look at your neighbors’ roofs – do they have frost? If you neighbors have frost on their roofs and you don’t (on the same side of the roof) you could have poor insulation and ventilation. Meet with a local HVAC company if you’re having frost-less issues.

Snow for UV Damage

Ever heard of reflective roofs? Snow on the roof provides a barrier to reflect possible UV damage, acting as a reflective or ‘cool’ barrier. Limiting solar exposure even for a few weeks annually over several years can add several months and possibly years to your roof’s useful life in the end. Let the snow stay.

When Is It Too Much Snow?

Because Colorado experiences heavy snow and winter storms, modern building code requires Colorado homes to handle it. Most homes can take a surprisingly large amount of snow before they begin to compromise. Homeowners should only clear snow off their roof when it’s putting their homes in immediate danger or if your local jurisdiction has warned you to clear snow. If you do need to clear snow, reach out to a reputable roofing contractor first – they have the training and tools to safely clear your roof – you don’t.

You might worry when snow is piling on your roof but as long as your home’s not creaking – most snow is good for your roof. Use the frost test and watch for condensation to keep your home happy and regulated this winter and spring.

Your roof’s covering, also known as shingles, tiles, or panels, is the first line of defense in your roofing system and the most visible portion of your roof – but it’s not everything. Underneath the roof covering is a layer of waterproof or water-resistant material known as underlayment.

Underlayment helps keep your roof intact and your home dry should there be a leak in your roof covering. Many roofing experts would argue your underlayment is just as important as your roof covering.

If you live in an extreme environment that experiences significant cold or heavy amounts of snow you need to be certain you have the best underlayment to weather these conditions. Let’s learn the top styles of underlayment for cold and snowy environments.

Synthetic Underlayment

Unlike most traditional underlayment, synthetic underlayment is manufactured with plastics and other synthetic materials. Synthetic underlayment is stronger than traditional underlayment and can take much more punishment from snow and cold. There are several weights of synthetic underlayment available so match the underlayment’s thickness to the home and type of shingle.

There are even synthetic underlayments manufactured for cold and snowy environments.

Organic

Organic underlayment, known more popularly as ‘tar paper,’ is the most affordable underlayment for most roofing systems but it may not be what you want for snow or cold environments. Most tar paper is too flimsy to stomach continuous extreme weather and may fail after a few seasons. If are installing organic underlayment on your roof, make sure it is a heavy enough weight (30# for example) to withstand winter storms.

Ice and Water Shield

Ice and water shield is a specialized form of underlayment that adds extra protection to leak-prone areas of the roof like eaves, valleys, and penetrations. If you live in a cold or snowy environment, you should install ice and water shield on your home’s eaves at the least. The more severe weather you receive, the more ice and water shield you need.

If you live in the snow and cold you must be certain your roof can fight the outside elements. This includes choosing a strong roof covering but also the underlayment that goes under it. For cold and snowy environments roofing experts recommend synthetic underlayment and installing ice and water shield at areas vulnerable to winter leaks.

To get the strongest underlayment for your environment choose a local roofing company that knows the weather and the best way to protect your roof against it.