4 Tips to Preparing Your Roof and Home for Winter

It’s November, which means it's time to get your house ready for the winter conditions ahead; snow, freezing rain, sleet, cold wind, and winter storms. Your roof protects your home against harsh weather conditions and it is essential that it's in good condition to keep your family comfortable and your energy costs low.

Roof winterization means not only a visual inspection of your roof surface, but also preparation of the areas around your house that might impact your roof in a winter storm. Here are some things you can do to prepare your roof and home for winter:

• Remove any dead trees or tree branches that could fall on your home now before the weather makes this task more difficult. Ice build up on these weakened branches can cause severe damage, especially in high winds.
• Inspect your roof thoroughly, look for missing or damaged tiles/shingles, warped or missing flashing.
• Clean off any built up debris and clean out the gutters to keep melted water flowing. Check that your gutters are clear by running water through from the roof surface.
• If you had an area of icicles hanging down from roof eaves last winter, then you should address the problem before you end up with water damage in your home and damage to your roof. Roof dams are often caused by inadequate ceiling insulation, or poor soffit and ridge ventilation.

We can help you evaluate the condition that caused the ice dam. Thermal imaging can pin-point areas of heat loss. Insulation can be added to stop the flow of heat out of the weak area. It's not always the case that you need to add more insulation - you might need a different type of insulation, so it's important to have professional advice.

If you need roof repairs, contact a licensed roofing contractor right away, and if your roof looks fine, remember it is a good idea to have a roof expert take a look at it every 2 or 3 years to confirm its condition.

As a homeowner getting ready for winter means more than turning off the exterior water, putting away the patio furniture, and firing up the snow-blower. Inspecting the overall condition of your roof and addressing any issues with your home insulation will help you fix problems causing snow and ice builds up. Don't wait until the damage is done. Ice dams not only cause roof damage but interior water damage resulting in the expense of replaced drywall.

Georgian Insulation is based in Oro Medonte. We cover all regions around Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Bradford, Alliston, Midland, Gravenhust, Simcoe County, Muskoka, Haliburton, Dufferin, North York, Grey and Bruce.

Contact Us for a Free Quote - Call 1-866-576-9338 or go to our websitewww.georgianinsulation.com and fill out our form.

How Proper Insulation Protects Your Home in the Winter

As winter approaches you want to make sure your home ( and the people inside!) are protected against the winter elements.

 The Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corp. describes a well insulated house like dressing for winter.

             
"A wool sweater will keep you warm if the wind is not blowing and it is not raining. On a windy, rainy day, wearing a nylon shell over your wool sweater helps keep you reasonably dry and         warm. A house is similar. On the outside underneath the brick or siding, there is an air barrier that does the same thing as the nylon - it keeps the wind from blowing through. Then there is the insulation (like your sweater) and a vapour barrier, which helps keep moisture away from the house structure." 

 Some of the winter threats to your home include ice dams and heat loss. Ice dams may lead to costly damage on your roof and eavestroughs as well as interior water damage. Heat loss reduces your home's efficiency and leads to higher heating costs.

What are Ice Dams? 

Ice dams are formed when heat escapes from the home and causes snow to melt. The water formed from heat loss then freezes as it flows down the roof, closer to cold edges, causing ice dams and icicles. This ice build-up can create a dangerous situation for homeowners and their visitors. Attics require proper insulation and ventilation to function correctly.

 Your attic should have approximately 15-20 inches of insulation, in addition to adequate ventilation through soffits and at the top of the attic. Some recommendations for ice dam prevention may include:

• Adding insulation or ventilation 
• Air sealing the attic floor 
• Locating problem heat loss areas

 With the extremely cold weather trend in previous winters, many older homes that are lightly insulated are having a big problem with energy consumption and cold drafty areas. Homes built prior to 2010 might use upwards of 25% more space heating energy than newer homes. This is because of recent improvements in the building codes for insulation and airtightness levels.

 Signs of Insulation Problems in the Winter:

• walls cold to touch 
• cold floors 
• high heating costs 
• uneven heating levels within building 
• mould growing on walls

 In Canada over 60% of residential energy use goes to space heating, so a good portion of your energy bill is impacted by insulation problems or poor quality materials that aren't doing the job.

 To reduce energy costs you can look at adding insulation and reducing air leaks. A well insulated home will reduce your energy heating costs in the winter and your cooling costs in the summer. You can see how making sure your home has proper insulation is very important to protecting your home and loved ones, and keeping costs down.

 The right insulation system can not only reduce the amount of energy you use and save you money, but make your home safer and more enjoyable. It's an important upgrade or reno project and you want to be absolutely sure you have professional advice and excellent options. Georgian Insulation Systems, the areas leading insulation contractor will work with you to achieve the highest level of efficiency in your home. Call us for a free estimate on your project. 1-866-576-9338

Prevent Roof Ice Dams and Heat Loss with Proper Insulation

Proper insulation is the most effective preventative measure for avoiding the build up of ice dams.

If you had issues with ice dams last year, November may be your last chance to prevent higher energy bills this winter and avoid costly water damage caused by heat loss.

What are Ice Dams?

Ice dams are formed when heat escapes from the home and causes snow to melt. The water formed from heat loss then freezes as it flows down the roof, closer to cold edges, causing ice dams and icicles. This ice build-up can create a dangerous situation for homeowners and their visitors.

Ice dams can also be costly, as the ice can damage the roof and eavestrouphs or cause interior water damage.

Signs of Ice Dams

1.  Icicles or ice form on the edge of your roof or the front edge of your gutter.
2.  Ice or water comes through your soffit or forms behind your gutters.
3.  Ice or water on forms on exterior walls, or on door or window frames.

Common Causes of Ice Dams

The most common cause of ice dams is heat loss from attics, frequently caused by poor insulation.  25% of home heat loss occurs through the roof/attic. 

Home heat loss can also occur in the following areas:

• More than 40% of all the heat lost in an average home is through the loft space and walls


• Up to 45% of heat is lost through uninsulated solid walls


• More heat is lost through walls than any other route – approximately 33% in an uninsulated home


• Up to 20% heat loss is through doors and windows.


• Up to 20% of all heat loss in the home is through ventilation and draughts.
  
                                               Source: National Insulation Association.

Ice Dam Prevention

Attics require proper insulation and ventilation to function correctly.  Your attic should have approximately 15-20 inches of insulation, in addition to adequate ventilation through soffits and at the top of the attic.  

Some recommendations for ice dam prevention may include:

• Adding insulation or ventilation
• Air sealing the attic floor
• Locating problem heat loss areas 

Don't wait until you see visible ice dams this winter - call Georgian Insulation for a free consultation on roof ice prevention.


Georgian Insulation Systems, is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling. Contact Us for a Free Quote - Or Call 1-866-576-9338.

Roof Ice Prevention Services with Georgian Insulation

Ice build up on roofs can present a dangerous situation to the homeowner, visitors and those passing by. Not only is it unsafe, but it causes damage to the roof and eave-troughs. Melt-water from ice build up can cause interior water damage. Call us for a free quote to handle this situation at your home, cottage, or commercial building.

During the winter, snow accumulates on the roof. On many homes this snow starts to melt, resulting in ice dams and icicles. There are many causes for the snow to melt, the most common cause is heat loss from the house into the attic. Warm air passes through the ceiling and insulation into the attic space. The warm air raises the temperature inside the attic to above the freezing point. It rises to the peak where it causes the snow to start melting. The warm melt-water flows down the roof to the colder edges where it re-freezes, causing ice dams and icicles.

As this cycle continues, the ice can form massive ice dams and icicles. Eventually the ice becomes so thick that the melt-water has no place to go. It starts to creep under the shingles and finds it's way into the home below. Valleys and a complicated roof design can exagerate the problem, as more melt water is concentrated into a smaller area. The damage can become significant, wet insulation, wet drywall, water stains on ceilings and walls. In some cases there can be so much water entering the house that ceilings can collapse, hardwood floors can buckle and contents can be ruined. This water entry may show up in the room below the attic, or even two or three floors further down. It is not unusual to see water in the basement from ice dams.

The damage may be covered by your home insurance, and there are lots of great companies that specialize in restoring your home. However, the root cause of the problem has to be addressed to prevent this happening again next time it snows.

Other factors may contribute to the ice dam problem. Warm day time temperatures and cold night temperatures, incorrectly placed exhaust vents, other sources of heat such as a BBQ on a covered deck, soffit pot lights, open windows and the orientation of the building. There are many other potential causes. As stated heat loss is often the biggest culprit.

Your attic requires insulation and ventilation to function correctly. If either are inadequate, then eventually ice dams will occur. There should be approximately 15-20 inches of insulation in your attic, (depending on the type of insulation). There should also be adequate ventilation in the soffits and at the top of the attic. Air is drawn in from the soffits and exhausted through the roof vents, pulling warm air with it.

You may need additional insulation, and ventilation. Air sealing to the attic floor is also recommended. This involves removing the existing insulation, locating the points of air leakage and sealing those leaks with spray foam or caulking. A thermal Infra red scan can also be performed to help pin-point problem areas. 

 

We can help you solve these problems and provide advice on how to prevent this from happening again. Contact Us for a Free Quote - Call 1-866-576-9338 or go to our website www.georgianinsulation.com and fill out our form.