Take a step outside your home and it's clear that another Minnesota winter has hit.  The thermometer has been dipping below the zero mark recently, and there's more snow in the forecast this week.

Yes, it's just another typical winter here in the Minneapolis area. 

In addition to being a little hard on the body, Minnesota winters can be incredibly hard on roofs, especially when they’re older. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent the three most common problems before they happen.

Flashing Leaks

In order to protect sloped roofing along the edges, corners and ridges, roofers install flashing. These metal parts could be improperly installed, but even when it’s firmly in place, it can still pull away from shingles and underlayment when hit by strong enough storms. As the roof ages, it can also corrode.

To keep old or loose flashing from causing damage, make sure your roof inspector takes a look at it, and replace it if it shows signs of failing.  Missing or loose flashing shouldn't be ignored in the winter.  Some repairs can wait until spring; flashing repair isn't one of them.

Ice Dams

These are especially common in our harsh winter weather here in the Twin Cities. This is what happens when ice and snow accumulates in gutters. As the thaw-freeze cycle progresses, water builds up and re-freezes behind the dam and will eventually cause expensive roof problems as well as interior damage if the water leaks into your home.

Although there’s no way to completely prevent ice dams from developing, it is possible to minimize their risk by ensuring your roof ventilation system is effective and your ceiling insulation is adequate. Also be sure to regularly inspect your roof to make sure there’s no damage.  Don't let snow build up on your roof, and keep those gutters cleared out so that when the snow does melt, the water can get off the roof before re-freezing at the edge.

And if you do notice you've got an ice dam that's formed, contact an ice dam removal professional to take care of it.

Material Damage

Severe weather has a way of damaging material of all types, even if it’s of high quality. You may not be able to control what the wind and clouds do, but you can minimize damage by making sure your attic’s ventilation system is doing the best job possible.

By contacting a licensed Minneapolis MN area roofing contractor like Quarve, you can make sure to do all you can to deal with these three common winter roofing problems.

If winter has been hard on your roof and it's time for a change, talk to us about one of the best roofing options for our winters - a steel or other metal roof.  We install metal roofing in the Minneapolis area, and we highly recommend it because of how well it stands up to Mother Nature here in the Midwest. We also offer ice dam removal.