Homeowners in snowy climates must consider if their roofs are prepared to handle the wind, snow, and ice each winter. Keep your Flagstaff, AZ, roof ready for the cold season by letting the roofing contractors at Polaris Roofing Systems take care of the repairs, installations, and rebuilds you need. Call us today at 928-699-4840.
Factors to Consider for Roofing Designs in Snowy Climates
When it comes to roofing designs for homes in snowy climates, homeowners must consider certain factors to ensure a solid and durable roof that can stand up to harsh conditions. In Flagstaff, homeowners and builders must consider the best roofing designs to handle a decent amount of snow.
Your roof’s ability to do its job protecting your home from moisture and other damage depends on a climate-conscious design. The roof’s angles, materials, and accessories all play a role in how well the roof performs in snowy climates.
Why Roof Angles Matter
The angle of the roof counts among the most important considerations because it directly affects how much snow can accumulate and how long the weight and moisture will sit there.
You don’t have to be a roofer to understand the kind of damage that trapped moisture can wreak on a home.
Flat roofs represent a lot of risk to homeowners during the winter. Gravity keeps the snowpack in place rather than dispersing it off the roof.
This trapped snow is extremely heavy, and the moisture remains on the roof as it melts. This weight and excess water can cause a wide variety of snow related roof problems, including:
- Roof leaks
- Mold and mildew growth
- Sagging ceilings
- Damaged roof decking
- Roof collapse
To prevent these problems, homeowners and builders choose pitched roofing designs for homes in snowy climates. A pitched roof has angled slopes that meet at the top ridge. These angles allow gravity to pull the snow down.
The Right Roof Materials
Having a pitched roof angle is extremely important, but this alone won’t always prevent damage from snow and ice. How quickly snow falls off your roof also depends on the materials used.
- Asphalt shingles: One of the most common roofing materials used for roofing designs in snowy climates is asphalt shingles. These offer an excellent choice for a budget-friendly material that sheds snow and ice with decent efficiency. You can improve melting speeds by going with a darker shingle that will absorb more sunlight.
- Metal roofing: Homeowners with more substantial budgets opt for metal roofs in snowy areas. Metal roofing materials allow accumulated snow to slide off easily because it is a smooth surface. Sheets of metal also warm quickly in the sun, allowing more snow to fall off the roof.
These are just a couple of examples of good choices in roofing materials for homes in snowy areas.
Understanding Roof Accessories
Even choosing the best roofing material may not prevent snow and ice issues if the problem is the roof accessories. By roof accessories, we mean:
- Chimneys
- Skylights
- Vents
- Solar panels
The best roofing designs for homes in snowy climates like Flagstaff limit unnecessary accessories like skylights to eliminate areas prone to leaks. Homeowners can help prevent leaks around skylights by inspecting the seals regularly to check for damage or deterioration.
Builders in climates with a lot of snow try to keep chimneys, vents, and other openings on the highest points of the roof to prevent accumulated snow from getting inside or becoming trapped. A poorly located chimney, for example, may form ice dams because the melted snow cannot escape the roof.
As a homeowner in a snowy climate, it’s also essential to consider the weight of other roof accessories, like solar panels. When installing these types of additions, think about how much weight your roof can handle, how heavy the panels are, and whether or not the added weight of snow may compromise the structure.
Is Your Home Ready to Handle the Snow?
Homeowners and builders alike will benefit from keeping these considerations in mind for roofing designs for homes in snowy climates. If your home in Flagstaff needs a roofing repair, replacement, or rebuild, let the roofing contractors at Polaris Roofing Systems help. We are a locally owned roofing company providing excellent service in Flagstaff. Call us today at 928-699-4840.
