Surviving and enjoying winter in Maine takes certain skills, knowledge and gear to stay safe, warm and dry.
That’s especially true when you’re also caring for a home in Maine, especially if this is your first winter as a homeowner.
We asked a local expert how homeowners can best protect their homes — particularly their roofs — in a Maine winter.
Here’s what they said.
How steep does my roof need to be to not have to shovel it?
Both the pitch and condition of the roof need to be considered when determining whether a homeowner needs to clear snow off it themselves, or hire someone to, according to Matt Cronin, owner of Harbor Shore Landscaping based in Orrington.
Homes with older, flatter roofs should have snow removed if it’s wet, heavy and piles up to exceed 8 inches in depth. That’s because the weight of the snow coupled with the moisture can damage the shingles or lead to ice dams.
Completely flat roofs on single family homes are rare in Maine. But, some styles of homes, such as raised ranches, have pitched roofs that aren’t very steep, which makes it harder for the snow to slide off on its own.
A pitched roof that’s flat enough to be considered “walkable” should likely be cleared of snow once it piles, Cronin said. But, homeowners with steep, new or metal roofs likely don’t need to worry about clearing it.
“If a roof is flatter, it’s more load-bearing, so you want to keep it clean,” Cronin said. “If an older asphalt roof needs to be redone soon, you’re going to need to protect it a bit.”
Cronin considers a roof to be “older” if it’s at least 15 to 20 years old, as asphalt shingles have a lifespan of roughly 20 to 25 years.
Homeowners should also be wary of tree branches that hang over or on their house’s roof, as that can cause moss to grow, which traps moisture and causes shingles to deteriorate faster, Cronin said.
Whether a homeowner needs to clean snow off their roof can also depend on where they live, as certain regions typically get more snow than others.
“In Aroostook County and western Maine, they’re getting 8 inches every storm, and if that piles up to a foot or more, that gets really heavy on a roof,” Cronin said. “In the Bangor region, there’s not a high demand for roof clearing because we’re not getting the amount of snow that we once did.”
Homeowners who are worried or still unsure whether their roof needs to be cleared should contact a professional, such as a roofing company, to have their roof evaluated, Cronin said.
What determines if I’ll need to worry about ice dams?
Ice dams occur when snow on a home’s roof melts, either from the sun or by heat escaping through the roof, and gets trapped rather than running off. That trapped water then refreezes on the roof when temperatures fall overnight.
“Water expands when it freezes, so that ice works into the shingles and separates them from the roof, which exposes the nails and causes leaks,” Cronin said.
That cycle of melting and freezing can continue for days or weeks, causing ice dams to grow.
Homes that have valleys in the roof created by architectural features like dormer windows — sometimes found on older Colonial-style homes — can collect snow and make the home especially susceptible to ice dams, Cronin said.
While an ice dam could happen to homes of various styles and sizes, there are several things a homeowner can do to help prevent them.
Clearing a home’s gutters and downspouts of leaves, sticks and ice can lessen the chances of an ice dam forming, as melting snow can run off the roof rather than getting trapped and refreezing.
Using a roof rake, or hiring a professional, to clear snow off a roof will also prevent ice dams from forming.
A professional can also evaluate the condition of a home’s roof to see whether heat is escaping through it, which could lead to ice dams.
