Roofs can be subjected to an extremely difficult test during the cold season and any vulnerability left unresolved can cause problems for both homeowners and people passing under eves.
The snow accumulated in large quantities on the roof can damage its structure, while the ice formed in the gutters and downspouts can create other problems, including water infiltration which, in the long term, can have undesirable consequences.
The roof must be constantly cleaned of snow. Waiting until the snow stops to do this is not always a good idea, because it can snow for days, while the snow layer on the roof becomes thicker and heavier. Some of it can even turn into ice that can block and damage the pluvial system.
In order to keep these inconveniences at a distance, in addition to cleaning the snow, you should take into account that the gutters and downspouts also need to be maintained with a certain periodicity during the winter, dictated by the amount of precipitation and temperature variations.
They must be cleaned of snow before it turns into ice. Even so, because of variations in temperature between day and night, but also because of inadequate thermal insulation, the appearance of ice dams and icicles is perfectly possible. Moreover, because of the configuration of the building and its height, cleaning the roof and the pluvial system can often be quite difficult. In this case, it is good to either consult R4 Roofing & Exteriors specialists or install a de-icing system.