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January 5, 2010

A homeowner can't anticipate what winter weather will bring, though it's nice to know you have a strong roof overhead to protect you from the weather. That's why it's important to make sure you roof stays that way. Depending on where you live, wintertime can prove hard on a home - frozen plumbing, fogged windows, and withered landscaping are among the various challenges you have to face. Dealing with a damaged roof, however, should not be one of them.

If you live in an area where you are susceptible to snow and ice, you especially want to make sure your white Christmas isn't spoiled by clogged gutters and an overworking heat system. Icicles hanging from the eaves, in particular, can prove a hazard. It's true one earns the risk of having a sharp ice dagger fall and cause injury, but icicles result from water freezing in a place where there is no heat. As snow lands on your roof, the heat from your home will thaw it and send the water sliding into the gutters. What doesn't drain will freeze - this is known as ice damming.

The less vigilant you are about checking the gutters, the more problems you could have in the winter. If the ice becomes too heavy, the gutters could break. Also, if your roof isn't properly protected or insulated, melted snow could seep underneath your roof shingles and leak into your home.

This is why it is important, when having a new roof installed, to ensure that proper ventilation is used. When this is not the case, your heating system will work harder, expending more energy, to make your house warm. Insulating your attic will help keep the heat within your home and not through the roof, leaving the snow intact until warmer temperatures melt it away. When this does happen, keep an eye on your eaves and gutters to make sure everything drains properly.

The more you know about taking care of your roof during the winter, the better chance you'll have of avoiding problems come spring.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach roofing and Eastern shore roofing .