Recovering From The Polar Vortex

Well hopefully, you were able to stay toasty warm during the latest polar vortex. We did try to warn you of the coming cold and the steps to take to help mitigate the crazy drop in temps and the few days of high winds on your home. Winterize!

High winds, -14-degree windchill and all coming after a heavy rain. This combination can cause havoc on an older or damaged roof and you might not see its effect until the next warm weather rain.

Sunday looks like the next comfortable day will have to spend some time outside. It’ll be a good day to do a quick roof inspection and make sure you’ve made it through without issue. You can check out our instructions for a DIY inspection by clicking this link.

The reason for inspecting your roof is simply because crazy weather like we’ve just had can really cause problems for older or even slightly damaged roofs.

Wind

Some of the strongest windstorms occur during the winter season, which often leads to shingles being torn off, loosened, or broken off. The wind also frequently rips off or loosens up flashing, and it is especially hard on a roofs ridges and rakes, which are more exposed to the wind stream.

Temperature

Thermal shock is a condition that occurs when a drastic temperature change occurs within a 24 to 36-hour time period. The extreme change in temperature causes the roof membrane to expand and contract quickly, which can tear open seams, flashing joints, and attachment points on the roof.

Ice

Ice can accumulate on the roof during the extreme cold in winter, leaks cease as everything is frozen. However, once the temperatures rise and the ice begins to melt, the roof is quickly inundated with moisture.

If a defect occurred from thermal shock, there are punctures in the roof, or other open components, the water mass can cause heavy leaking into the building. This can happen particularly if roof drains/gutters are clogged with leaves and other debris, which inhibit quick drainage of the roof.

Over the next couple of days we’ll go over the things you can do should you find some issues during your inspection. We’ll have a few days of comfortable temps to work in if you’re the DIY type. Or, you can always give DYMI Construction a call if you find yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Watch this space.