MOLINE, Ill — I'm sure a lot of Quad Citizens have noticed some snow and ice built up on their roofs after the recent winter weather. What homeowners may not know is that the extra snow and ice could damage the structure of the roof.
The National Weather Service is warning the weight of the snow can cause roofs to collapse and knock down trees and powerlines. That's because of weaker structures making them more vulnerable.
"If it's a newer roof, there's not a lot of issues," Chris Reid Project Manager with Olde Town Roofing said. "You don't want a lot of weight on your roof. It could stress the trusses and everything like that. If you have an older roof and older shingle, sometimes when the snow gets too bad, it gets into the old shingles and they're already falling apart anyways. And then it could cause damage to your decking, your trusses could get in your insulation, could get to your drywall."
Experts said homes are also at risk for interior leaks due to heavy build-up. People can buy what's called a "roof rake," which will help get most of the snow off of the roof. Since removing snow from the home is a dangerous activity, Reid said many will have to wait for it to melt.
"You don't want to shovel your roof," Reid said. "You don't want to take a pic to your roof. You don't want to break any of the ice."
"You can go ahead and eliminate that, kind of by, maybe throwing in some salt on top of the gutter. Heat tape in the gutters is good," Reid said.
Travelers insurance said the amount of snow and ice a roof can support depends on the type of roof, its age and its stability. A good rule of thumb from the experts is that, if there's more than one foot of heavy, wet snow and ice on the roof, it should be removed.
If homeowners are unsure of how much snow and ice their home can handle contact a local roofing company.
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