How a Fall Roof Inspection Can Put an End to New England Ice Dam Damage
Winter is hard on your roof and you put up with it every year. After a good snowfall you find water stains on the ceiling, and come time for the repair bill you are chagrined to have spent money on something that was avoidable months ago.
You would be in good company if you can relate. We of JP Carroll Roofing, LLC have seen what ice dams are capable of doing to a home; we have been putting our experience to work for New England homeowners for protection of their roofs since 1987. For answers, give us a ring at (860) 775-7511.
The Real Toll Ice Dams Take on a Roof
It starts with heat from the house warming the lower part of the roof so that the snow will melt. It makes its way down to the eaves where it is cold and refreezes as a solid ridge of ice. Meltwater has no place to go but back up under the shingles and into the home.
For a homeowner in Massachusetts or Connecticut, New Hampshire and all points in New England, this is winter’s most costly and frequent headache. You may not see the damage right away, but when you do the tab for repairs has swelled.
An ice dam left to its own devices will do the following:
- Stain your walls and ceilings
- Ruin the insulation in the attic
- Rotten rafters and roof decking
- Warped trim and peeling paint
- Gutters pulled loose by the weight of the ice
- Mold within the walls
Make a Fall Inspection Part of Your Routine
There is no reason to take the hit from ice dams when they are largely preventable. Timing is everything. An inspection in the fall is your opportunity to put small matters to rights before the freeze sets in.
Come winter any work on the roof is more arduous and hazardous. To wait is to be at the mercy of damage rather than staving it off. Our team will make a proper examination of the roof while it is still safe and look for the things that let in water and let out heat:
- Shingles that are lifted, cracked or missing
- Flashing in bad shape around the vent or chimney
- Clogged gutters holding onto meltwater
- Deficiencies in the ice and water shield
- Any gaps in the underlayment or deck
- Inadequate attic ventilation or insulation
Big Savings from a Modest Inspection
Consider the alternative. A fall visit may turn up some worn flashing or a couple of shingles needing attention. Not much of a fix. Yet come February after a severe New England winter those same issues could have resulted in rotted decking and interior water damage. The cost of a full repair project then is nothing like the minor maintenance one puts in during October. And one does not have to put up with leaks at the worst time of year.
All too often we have a homeowner call after he has already found water dripping through the ceiling. The damage is done and the job is a bigger one. It is the wiser and less expensive course to get ahead of the season.
JP Carroll Roofing is the Choice for New England Homeowners
With more than 30,000 roofs put in throughout the region we know how a New England winter puts a home to the test. Being a second-generation family business we are in it for the long haul.
Our membership in the GAF President’s Club is something fewer than one per cent of contractors in the country can claim. It means we can put a 50-year GAF Golden Pledge warranty on projects that qualify. We also provide free estimates.
Some of what you can expect from us:
- Experience in both commercial and residential roofing
- Siding, window and gutter services
- Commercial materials such as Firestone Red Shield-certified, TPO and EPDM
- 0% pre-qualified financing via GreenSky
- We service Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts
- The kind of New England winter expertise that comes with decades in the trade
Our hours are 7:30am to 9:00pm should you wish to put in for an inspection.
Why leave it to the first snow to tell you the roof is not in order? A fall inspection now will save you from the expense of ice dam damage. Contact JP Carroll Roofing, LLC at (860) 775-7511 for a free estimate and to make your plans for the coming cold with some assurance.
