The changing of seasons affects your home just as much as it affects your body. As your body tenses up with the cold, so does your home, and as your limbs ease into the warmer weather, your home does the same. Right now, we’re in the midst of winter, which means it’s time to think about how to prepare your home for the chill of the season. If you’ve ever wondered how does winter weather affect your roof in particular, take a look below. We’ve outlined a few of the different things that impact your roof, from snow to ice to general cold weather.

Ice Damming

Ice damming is just about as scary as it sounds—it’s one of the greatest threats your roof faces during the winter season. To clarify, ice damming occurs when the warmth inside your home and the hot rays of the sun combine, melting the snow and ice on your roof. This may sound like a good thing, but it can actually cause some major problems, as the meltwater will flow to the edge of your roof and then end up refreezing. This refreezing creates a dam that prevents more meltwater from running off your roof—this is when icicles (big ones) form, leading to torn-down gutters, eaves, and shingles. Make sure your roof is properly vented so that warm air can escape your attic and cool air can enter.

Attic Condensation

As we mentioned, a properly vented roof will be your saving grace when it comes to ice dam prevention. Solid roofing vents will also protect your home from attic condensation. When things such as ice damming and heavy snow buildup occur on your roof, the warm air rising through your home will hit the cold roof deck in your attic, creating moisture that’s not your home’s friend. You can combat this by installing metal roofing or by updating your roof’s venting system.

Snow, Ice, and Water Stress

As you’ve seen above, winter elements come in many damaging forms. We’ll make it quite simple in this section by delving into three basic elements that affect your roof in the winter—snow, ice, and water. Snow can pile up several feet thick, which can lead to a weight too excessive for the load-bearing capacity of your roof. This can cause cracks above windows and doors, a bowed ceiling, and even roof collapse. Ice and water issues include ice damming, new leakage points, and more. Make sure to prepare your roof for these events as soon as possible.

Wind Damage

Another big factor in potential roof damage comes from wind. Some of the strongest windstorms occur during the winter months, often leading to loosened, broken, or missing shingles. If you know your location is prone to heavy winds (and even if it’s not), make sure to invest in quality shingles that can handle winds up to 110 mph.

To make sure your roof and home can make it through the changing of the season, turn to American Metal Roofs of Michigan. Our premium-quality metal roofing can withstand hurricane-force winds, and when you partner that with our metal roof vents, your home is sure to stand the test of time. Reach out for a comprehensive roof analysis now!