If you live in an area with cold winter weather, you might be aware of the seasonal freeze-thaw cycle that affects the ground around your house. But you may not know that this cycle can also damage your roof. Extreme shifts in temperature, along with snow, ice, and wind, can cause wear and tear or aggravate existing roofing issues. As a result, leaks and other issues may form, requiring roof repairs or potentially a full replacement.
If cold winters are common in your region, it's important to know the signs of roof damage due to freezing and thawing. Here's an overview of freeze-thaw cycles, how to detect related roofing problems, and steps to protect your home year-round.
What Is a Freeze-Thaw Cycle?
During warmer springtime months, water from melting snow and ice can trickle into small crevices or holes in your roof. Then, during cold snaps, the falling temperatures can cause that moisture to expand as it freezes. This can create a space between your shingles and flashing where more water can pool, gradually worsening the issue.
These fluctuations in temperature throughout the season, known as the freeze-thaw cycle, can put undue stress on your roofing structure. Over time, this can cause your roofing materials to erode and lose their ability to adequately protect your home, reducing your roof's overall lifespan.
How Freeze-Thaw Cycles Can Damage Your Roof
Freeze-thaw cycles can lead to several problems that can affect your roof and the rest of your home.
Ice Dams
Freeze-thaw cycles can cause ice dams. These are blocks of ice that form at your roof's edge and prevent water from draining properly. Ice dams can also damage or wrench gutters out of place, exacerbating the issue. When water builds up behind the ice dam and then freezes, it creates pressure that can cause your roof to leak, potentially damaging your home's ceilings, walls, and insulation.
Weakened Roofing Materials
The longer the cycle of freezing and thawing, the worse the damage to your roof and home can get. During early winter and late spring, the weather can change quickly, with warm, sunny days dropping to cold overnight temperatures. This can manifest in all parts of your roof, leading to cracked singles, membranes, or flashing as well as ponding water in gutters and decking.
Mold and Mildew
The freeze-thaw cycle can also lead to mold and mildew growth under your shingles and inside your home.
Signs of Damage to Look For
The effects of the freeze-thaw cycle can leave you with expensive roof repairs. Keeping an eye on your roof can help you spot problems early and potentially minimize damage (and related repair bills). These are the telltale signs of damage from freeze-thaw cycles:
- Discolored ceilings due to leaks
- Loose flashing—which seals cracks between roofing materials—around your chimney, eaves, or vents
- Gaps between layers of roofing materials, where moisture can enter the system
- Unevenly spaced shingles, which could mean the expansion and contraction of water and ice has displaced them and compromised your roof
How to Protect Your Roof
To keep your roof healthy and in top form, it's wise to have your roof inspected regularly. Hiring a roofing professional to evaluate your roof once or twice a year can help you identify minor issues before they become major problems, potentially saving you from costly repairs in the future. A roofing contractor can also ensure your attic is well ventilated. Proper airflow keeps your roof's temperature consistent, which deters ice from forming.
In between inspections, and to avoid heavy snow turning into huge amounts of melting water, consider hiring a professional to clear the snow from your roof and around your gutters. This can address the water runoff and prevent ice dams under the snow.
Don't attempt to climb on your roof with a ladder unless you're comfortable doing so and have someone nearby to help. Also, be careful when removing snow with a roof rake, as it can damage your shingles.
Addressing Roof Damage with Professional Help
If you see an ice dam, leak, or other signs of freeze-thaw cycle damage to your roof or home, don't go the DIY route and repair it yourself. It's best to call in a roofing professional, who will bring the proper equipment and knowledge to get the job done right. Properly repairing issues quickly after they form will ensure your roof can protect your most valuable possessions—your house and the people inside it—for many years to come.
Interested in hiring a professional to inspect your roof or repair existing issues from past freeze-thaw cycles? Reach out to a trusted GAF-certified contractor* in your area.
*Contractors enrolled in GAF certification programs are not employees or agents of GAF, and GAF does not control or otherwise supervise these independent businesses. Contractors may receive benefits, such as loyalty rewards points and discounts on marketing tools from GAF for participating in the program and offering GAF enhanced warranties, which require the use of a minimum amount of GAF products. Your dealings with a Contractor, and any services they provide to you, are subject to the GAF Contractor Terms of Use.
