With this winter’s abundance of snowfall, many Manitoba homeowners have been looking to get the white stuff cleared off their roofs.
Chris Rioux from Xcalibur Roofing Group said they’ve seen an increase in interest from residents.
“Every day, it seems we finish a batch of homes and then we get more phone calls,” said Rioux.
Homeowner Russel Harbone said he’s noticed effects from the snow and ice buildup.
“The ice is getting thick. The snow is heavy and wet so definitely concerned about the weight,” he said. He hired Rioux’s company to clear off his roof.
Rioux said ice dams form when snow melts on roofs into the eavestrough. Then, that water turns into ice and backs up underneath the shingles and you get water in your home when it melts.
He said it’s also good to get snow off of older homes because cave-ins are a possibility.
“Roofs can collapse, especially if they're older homes that are only built with two by fours instead of two by sixes or if they’re not engineered trusses,” said Rioux.
On Garwood Avenue in Winnipeg, David Reid’s garage roof collapsed on the weekend, landing on a car and motorcycle parked inside it.
“I was sitting in bed and I heard a loud bang. (It) sounded like 10 people pounding on the side of my garage,” said Reid.
Roofing experts also said another reason to clear snow off is to guard against mould. If snow blocks vents and frost builds up inside your attic, it could cause moisture to form and then mould within 72 hours.
