Roofing in Snow Covered Regions

Snow covered regions are much trickier to normal regions when it comes to roof design and construction. In this article, we will discuss the various things that you need to look into before choosing the roof over your head. Firstly, it is wise to construct a gable roof in snow-heavy regions for the simple reason being the design of the gable roof. Gable roofs are designed to have a steep slope that prevents the accumulation of snow since the snow runs off on the sides. In addition to its design; gable roofs have a minimum pitch of 4:12, which is the perfect range to prevent snow from gathering on the roof. A gable roof is perfect for a regular residential unit but if the house has an intricate architectural design; a gable roof cannot be used. In which case, we suggest that you instead go for dormers that are usually designed for a shed. These dormers tend to complement the architectural intricacies and still hold up as good as a gable roof in snow-heavy regions.

While constructing a roof, keep in mind that ventilation is one of the most essential facets. Ventilation will prevent snow from clogging on the roof, thereby preventing leaks to occur in the roof. Ventilation is also important if you wish to add a chimney or gutter line to your roof. Since these locations are prime areas for the snow to gather; this coagulation of snow can lead to the structural integrity of the roof becoming compromised. We suggest that you avoid having any form of additional feature to the roof; as in preventing the need for extra ventilation completely. Improperly ventilated chimneys are said to be the major cause of ice dams forming in and around the chimneys.

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Our final suggestion is that you use metal to construct your roof. Although metal is going to be more expensive when compared to asphalt shingles, hear us out. Metal helps to retain heat and the surface of the metallic roof makes it difficult for snow to accumulate. Metal roofs have other benefits such as prevention of ice dams and damage to property and people due to sudden fall of a huge load of snow as well. One of the major reasons that a lot of snow owners prefer asphalt shingles is due to the cost-effectiveness of asphalt shingles. We are not going to lie to you, the metal roof is going to be more expensive, but metal roofs tend to have a greater lifespan than roofs made of asphalt shingles; average approximation shows that metal roofs last 2.5 times longer. Experts suggest that metal roofs can withstand structural integrity for about 50 years.