McClurg's Home Remodeling Blog

Homes are like people. In order to be in the best shape possible, you have to pay attention to the signs that something may be wrong. For our homes, we do this each spring and fall with a home maintenance check-up.

Today's guest blogger is Lauren Szczygiel. Lauren is a graduate of Cazenovia College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interior Design. She began work at McClurg Remodeling and Construction Services as an intern. After graduating she was hired as a Project Designer. She is presently preparing to be certified by the National Kitchen and Bath Association and for the National Council of Interior Designers' Qualification. She was promoted to the position of Project Consultant in May 2010.

Today's guest blogger is Paul Jones, Project Consultant for HomeRepair by McClurg. Paul has worked in the residential construction business for 12 years. Prior to that he worked for 20 years in commercial construction. He has been with the McClurg team for over five years and specializes in small- to medium-sized home repair projects.

By Scott McClurg

Winter 2011 has caused considerable damage to roofs of Central New York homes.  It seems like we’ve had snow on the roof continually since the first of December.  Weather conditions in our region have been particularly harsh due to unprecedented lake effect snowfall and cold Canadian weather systems which have caused freezing on roofs and don’t allow for melts that we normally experience. Roofs are not designed to hold up to several tons of weight.  On roofs that have collapsed, snow build up has been 2 to 3 feet thick.

What can you do to protect your home? First and foremost, it is important that you maintain your roof and remove snow. According to a colleague in the roof repair business in Minnesota:

“As little as six inches of snow packed on your roof could cause major damage to your home—and your wallet. Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) research shows about $1 of every $5 paid for home and business property losses in recent years has stemmed from damage due to freezing weather, snow and water leaks. Fresh snow is two to four times lighter than old snow, so your roof could hold up to four feet of fresh snow safely. But new snow on top of old snow can multiply the risk of collapse. Ice mixed with snow is extremely heavy—just one inch of ice can weigh as much as 12 inches of fresh snow.”

December 2010 set records for snowfall in Central New York. Along with lake effect snows, there have been periods of thawing and refreezing causing problems for homeowners by creating ice dams - ridges of ice that prevent melting water from draining off the roof. Ice dams cause water ponds on roofs which can back up under shingles, seep into insulation and leak into the attic or along exterior walls. This water infiltration can lead to mold, mildew, interior wall/ceiling damage and rot.