Slate and Snow: How to Improve Roof Safety in Winter - Tips from an Experienced Roofer
In the spring I laid the slate stamps BF Tech to your country house. I think that you can share your impressions, and at the same time tell you how to prepare the roof for winter. After all, if you do not take care of this in advance, then you will deliberately run into trouble. A roofer friend helped me with advice on preparing the roof for the winter season.
This summer our roof went through "fire, water and copper pipes." In the lingering summer rains, I slept like a baby, I did not hear the drops hitting the roof. The slate showed excellent sound insulation. The summer ended with variable hail. The Grad quietly announced itself, at these moments I was worried about the strength. Slate BF Tech proved to be reliable and durable. Not like the old slate, which I'm tired of fixing after every rainfall.
Summer is over. Now it's time to prepare for the harsh winter. So that later it does not work out, as in the joke:
“Why did the kettle break down after a month when the warranty is a year? Because it is not designed to drive nails. "How to prepare the roof for winter? - simple tips from an experienced roofer
1.Remove trash from the roof
In autumn, a lot of foliage and other debris accumulates on the roofs. And whencold weather will come, all this forms ice. Therefore, take a broom in advance.roof. And don't forget about the gutters. Clean and check if they are reliablefixed.
2.Clear the slate from plants
If the slate is not new, inspect it. When moss and lichen vegetation appears, use a high-pressure appliance to clean the roofing. You can easily wash the roof on a sunny day in a couple of hours. With the help of special solutions (septic tanks), you can delay the appearance of vegetation on the roof of the house. It should be borne in mind that it is better to repeat the treatment every 5 years.
3.Carry out preventive repairs
Slate lives on average about 50 years. And if you haven't renewed the roof for a long time, you should carefully examine the condition of the roof and nails. So, if necessary, it is better to carry out repairs before winter. Replacing nails, priming and painting with special roofing paint, checking for leaks and eliminating defects.
How can you improve the safety of your roof in winter?
A clean, intact roof reduces the chance of ice build-up, but does not eliminate the snow cap. For myself slate BF Tech you don't have to worry. It is made in accordance with GOST and can withstand more than 240 kg. It remains to take care that the snow does not come off the roof with an avalanche and does not turn into icicles.
The first thing that comes to mind is to clean the snow. The master advised not to allow the size of the snow layer on the roof to exceed 10 cm. But all the same, climbing on the roof in winter and cleaning the snow is a perfectionist's occupation. Moreover, several cheap and high-quality methods of dealing with snow and icicles have been invented.
Snow holders
When it gets warmer, the snow melts. And it turns into one lump that can damage everything it falls on. To prevent such a situation, snow retainers are used - safety elements in the form of a lattice or parallel thick pipes. Snow cannot slip through them. It crumbles into small pieces, or it melts and drains off with water.
Snow cutters
They solve the same question, only crush the snow into small pieces. They look like metal corners set in a checkerboard pattern.
Icicle control
Chemicals and heating have replaced the mechanical churning of icicles. They are easy to use and safe, compared to trying to knock down a half-meter icicle with a stick.
Chemical method. Overhangs are treated with a special hydrophobic compound. When water appears due to melting snow, the composition accelerates its outflow, preventing the appearance of icicles.
Heat. A heating cable is laid along the edges of the overhangs. Similar to a warm floor. And when you turn it on, the snow melts, and the water does not have time to freeze.
Slate BF Tech made me happy. He is not afraid of rain, wind, sun or frost. But in order for the roof to serve for more than 50 years, it is worth monitoring the roof and preparing it for each season!