Lake snow and steep pitch
Built for what comes off the lake
Erie roofs carry snow for months. The older houses add steep pitches, tall gables and slate that has been up since before the plows. Here is how we plan for both.
None of this is exotic. It is the same dull list on every roof: barrier, ventilation, flashing and a crew that stays tied off.
What snow does
Four ways lake snow finds a roof
Ice at the eaves
Heat from the house melts snow high on the roof. The water runs down, freezes at the cold eave and backs up under the shingles.
Drifts at valleys and chimneys
Snow slides and stacks where two slopes meet, and against a chimney's uphill side. Those joints see the most water.
A long, slow melt
Snow sitting for weeks keeps the shingles wet. Poor ventilation and old flashing show up fast.
Weight on old roofs
We cannot judge framing from a ladder. If we see sag, we say so and suggest a person who can.
What we do about it
The list we work down on every Erie roof
Ice and water barrier
Laid from the eave up past the warm wall line of the house, and in the valleys.
Ventilation
We count the intake and exhaust before we pick shingles. A roof that breathes sheds snow more evenly.
Metal flashing
Chimneys, walls and valleys get flashing cut and bent for the job, not a bead of sealant.
Insulation notes
If heat is leaking into the attic, we say so, even when the fix is not ours.
Snow guards, where they help
Over doors and walkways a slide of snow is a hazard. We say where guards make sense.
Steep pitch
A steep roof is a different job
Many older Erie houses have gables and dormers steep enough to count as a ladder. They take more time and more gear than a low roof, and the written estimate says so.
We set roof jacks and planks, tie off to an anchor, and tear off in sections so a steep slope is never left open to the weather. If a pitch is too steep or icy for a safe day, we wait.
On every steep roof
A harness tied to an anchor, every time
Roof jacks and planks to stand on
Tear-off in sections, dried in the same day
No work on ice, in high wind or on a wet slope
Lake snow
Winter questions
What is an ice dam?
A ridge of ice at the eave that holds melted snow behind it. The water finds its way under the shingles and into the walls. The cure is at the roof: barrier, ventilation and insulation, not heat cables alone.
Should I shovel the roof?
Please do not climb on it. A roof rake from the ground can clear the first few feet above the eave. If you are worried about a load, call a roofer or a structural engineer.
Do gutters cause ice dams?
No, but full gutters make them worse. Clear gutters let melt water leave. We can clean them or add them to a re-roof.
When is the best time to re-roof?
Spring through fall, when the shingles seal. Fall books up, so ask early.
Get the roof ready before the snow
Tell us the address and what you see. We look at the eaves, the attic and the pitch, then write down what the roof needs.