Cold Weather is Coming! Is Your Home Protected?

During the winter months, our homes can be vulnerable to our crazy Georgia weather. As we all know, it can be warm and sunny in the morning, dark and rainy by after noon, to freezing winds by nightfall. With the rainy summer we just had, keeping the temperatures lower than normal, it is very possible that we have an intense winter approaching. If we in-fact do see a major temperature drop, as a Georgia native, we will have ice in our very near future! Ice can be disastrous when it is sitting on top of a roof that is not properly prepared. In the picture below you can see how the snowy ice has almost completely melted from the center portions of the roof. However, the snow and ice has maintained around the edges (or rakes and eaves). This collection of ice are called Ice Dams.

 Ice dams occur when the outside temperature is below freezing and snow is present on the roof. Homes with poor insulation allow heat to escape from the living quarters into the attic. If the roof system is not properly ventilated, the heat will build up in the attic and warm the roof deck. Since the underside of the roof deck is warm the snow begins to melt. When the melted snow reaches cooler roof areas, usually the gutters or areas near the overhang (eaves) it will refreeze. The freeze- thaw process is not ideal for shingled roofs since the ice can travel "upslope" and get underneath the shingles.

You may be wondering, How do I prevent and protect my home?

1. Attic Insulation can be added to minimize the amount of heat that escapes into the attic. Bathroom vents, electrical outlets, plumbing vents, furnace stacks, and access doors can enable significant amounts of heat to escape a house's living quarters. The temperature in an ideal attic space should be close to the same temperature as the outside air.


2. Ventilation allows heat to escape the attic space during winter months and prevents the roof deck from warming. A freeze-thaw process isn't likely to occur on a roof deck that is the same temperature as the outside air.


3. Underlayments, including Owens Corning WeatherLock ice and water guard, adhere directly to the roof deck, creating a water tight barrier between the roof deck and the shingles. The ice and water shield is installed around the perimeter where the overhangs exist and at roof penetrations. The use of ice and water guard will protect the roof deck from ice dams but proper attic insulation and/or ventilation will prevent an ice dam from occurring.

Contact Us today to Schedule a Free Inspection to Make Sure Your Roof SYSTEM is functioning as it should! 770-695-ROOF or Email Us At sales@duckbackcontractors.com