Flat Roof Heavy Snow

While not frequent per se the low slope of a flat roof does make it more prone to certain problems particularly when it interacts with the elements.

Flat roof heavy snow.

One of them is that flat roofs leak more easily than pitched ones. Helmet heat is wired throughout your gutters and downspouts. And whenever it snows the flat roof supports an additional insulating blanket. There are a few common misconceptions regarding flat roofs that are stubbornly persistent.

If your home has a roof with a substantial pitch ice dams and clogged gutters can still prevent snow from sliding off. This is not a job you want to do yourself especially if your home is two or more stories high. If you have noticed an unusual amount of heavy snow accumulating on your roof you should call a professional experienced roof contractor or roof snow removal contractor. That means 12 inches of snow on a flat roof creates an additional r 12 of insulation that arrives at a time of year when you most need it.

But they also come with a reputation for leaks cracks and collapse. Although most flat roofs actually feature a slight pitch they still collect more rain snow and debris than traditional roofs making them a safety liability. Another is that they cannot handle as much snow weight as pitched roofs because the snow sits directly on the roof. Neither of these are accurate.

The r value or resistance to heat flow for snow is about r 1 per inch. Here at pro roofers we specialize in flat roof installation and maintenance and over the years we have gathered a wealth of expertise concerning flat roofs so let s set the record straight. Caring for your flat roof in winter. It extends outward in both.

As snow piles up all that weight equates to structural stress especially for buildings with flat roofs. The very notion of shelter is linked to the image of a roof above. Helmet heat is a self regulating heating system that melts the snow and ice before it can form into damaging mounds weighing down on your roof line gutters and downspouts. Excessive rain heavy snow and built up ice all pose extra challenges for flat roofed homes.

For any rafter the portion of the roof deck that transfers this load is the tributary area. The roof deck collects the snow load and transfers the weight to the rafters. If you live in the us our snow load calculator compares the total weight on your roof with the permissible load calculated according to the standards issued by the american society of civil engineers regarding the minimum design loads for buildings and other structures asce7 16.