Winter Roofing Problems

29 November 2021

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It is easy to forget about your roof during winter, up there on top of the house doing its job.  But it does face more challenges at this time of the year than any other.  Here are some of the most common winter roofing problems and what steps might be needed to deal with them.

Top of the list is the build up of snow.  While some parts of the UK don't see as much as in past times, there's still plenty of it around.  You can't stop the snow but you can watch out for potential damage it causes during and after the snowfall.  This can be things like ice dams, where the snow melts and runs down your roof but is blocked by a ridge of packed ice at the bottom.  This then rushes back up under that spot on the roof, lifting it off if possible or tearing tiles away from their fixings.

Tree branches are another potential issue with winter roofs.  There's still plenty of leaves on the trees, adding a lot of weight to each branch.  If they fall off in autumn you would hope that doesn't result in any damage but when winter comes they can weigh down branches even further and with snow resting on top of them it isn't going to be good for your roof at all.

With many parts of the UK suffering from long periods of rain during winter, there are all kinds of problems for roofs to deal with.  This includes water pooling on your roof or spilling off it and down the side, causing damp in the loft space that can lead to rot if not fixed quickly enough.

If you spot these or any other potential problems, get expert help as soon as possible to avoid things getting worse!