Why Does Snow Melt Faster on Some Roofs?

Does snow melt faster on your roof than your neighbors?

Winter can show you a lot about your house that you cannot see at other times throughout the year. Now is a good time to look at your roof and see where your home is leaking heat.

If you notice snow that seems to be melting in specific spots on your roof you’ve got a situation where heat is escaping there due to poor or lack of insulation or a failing roofing system. Ideally, snow should melt according to the outside temperature, not influenced by the temperature inside your home. If the snow on your roof is melting at an inconsistent rate to your neighbor’s home, you have some investigating to do!

Another sign of insulation issues!

Because the snow is melting from a heat loss on your roof and not because of warming temperatures, the melted snow can refreeze once it travels from your roof, creating ice dams that appear as icicles on the eaves and gutters. Water trapped by these ice dams will travel between shingles or under soffits eventually appearing as water dripping into your ceiling or walls.

Check your attic insulation

If your attic is not properly insulated you might have patchy spots of melting snow where it is doing a better job of trapping heat and where it is allowing heat to escape. Check your attic space and look at the amount of insulation that is installed. If you can see your ceiling joists and walk around, you probably don’t have enough and it's time to give us a call.

Our expert team know how to proficiently insulate and protect your home. Bruin Corp is an authorized partner for the Mass Save® Home Energy Services Program. Take advance of the Mass Save® Home Energy Services Program. Call Bruin at 508-881-8200 to set up your no cost energy audit to help you save energy and money.