Roofs That Are Designed to Withstand the Winter
Winter can wreak havoc on the best-constructed building. Some of the reasons why winter poses such of a challenge to buildings are because cold temperatures cause some building materials to contract and the weight of heavy snow on top of the building can put a strain on the structure of the building.
Construction companies specializing in commercial roofing in Minneapolis need to pay special attention when they design and put up commercial roofs. This is because most commercial buildings have roofs that have a very low to no pitch. This means that they are virtually flat. A flat roof is an excellent place for snow to accumulate.
Minneapolis is known to have snowfall in excess of a couple of feet every single year. And while a building owner has the responsibility to clear off excess snow, they’re not always going to do it. And so the building needs to be able to stand up to the accumulation of a few inches of snow without putting strain on the structure of the building.
The challenge is a little bit different for those constructing residential buildings in Minneapolis. This is because if a person looks at the houses in Minneapolis, they are going to notice that the vast majority of them have a very steep slope or pitch. The reason why they are designed like this is so that the majority of the snow that collects on the roof falls off. This design makes it easier for homeowners to protect their roof, thereby protecting the rest of the home.
However, there are other challenges that residential roof builders need to take into consideration in Minneapolis. For example, they need to make sure that the roofs they design have proper ventilation. If they do not have proper ventilation, during the winter it’s likely that the roof is going to develop ice dams. An ice dam forms when heat accumulates in the attic. As the heat accumulates, it causes all of the snow at the tip of the roof to melt. As the melted snow travels down the roof, it starts to freeze again. Then, a ridge of ice is formed. This process is repeated over and over again and eventually ice dams will damage a roof.
Both residential and commercial roofers need to consider the materials that they use. The goal is to find a material that can withstand the cold temperatures, while at the same time hold up during the warm summer months.
