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Why does snow melt faster on some roofs in Corning NY?

Why Does Snow Melt Faster on Some Roofs?

The big snow is over. A layer of white covers the land, the trees, the houses. The roads are clear, and you’re driving down the street when you notice something odd. Some houses have already begun to cast off their extra burden—the snow is melting and the shingles are showing. Other houses hang tight to their fluffy coating. On closer inspection you notice that a few houses have spots that have begun to melt while some patches of snow cling stubbornly on.

What’s up with that? Is it an insulation problem? And, if so, which houses have the problem—the ones that melt snow faster or the ones that hang onto their extra rooftop coating? The answers to this puzzle are (mostly) straightforward. Let’s dive in.

The Unlikely Culprits

There are a couple of situations that could explain the difference in the way snow melts. Although these are not the most common explanations, let’s knock them out first.

If snow is fairly uniform across a roof, yet the north side of the house holds on to its coating of white longer, this could be perfectly normal. The north side of a house tends to receive less overall sunlight, so it’s naturally going to take longer for snow to melt there.

The size, position, and number of trees surrounding a house can also be a factor in how fast snow melts. Trees block sunlight. And since trees often don’t provide perfect shade, they can let patches of light through that melts snow faster in certain sections.

But keep in mind—while both of the above explanations are possibilities, they are the least likely reasons for inconsistencies in snow melting. If a home is properly insulated, then the above reasons could very well explain why snow melts at different rates.

But—Insulation!

There’s an elephant in the room when it comes to different rates of snow melting. That elephant is insulation, and it may be more of a problem than you think.

To answer one of the first questions posed in this post, the longer it takes for snow to melt, the more likely it is that the home is properly insulated. So, retaining snow is a good thing.

We can actually thank winter snow for at least one thing—it can visually show problems that are not so easily detected other times of year. The roof showing shingles before any other home is likely screaming, “Inspect your insulation!” And the same goes for a roof where the snow doesn’t melt in a uniform fashion.

Insulation prevents heat from escaping your home during the winter months. And the snow should melt in a uniform way over the entire roof—with the possible exceptions mentioned earlier about the north side of the home and the shade from trees. If your insulation isn’t up to snuff, that escaping heat will melt snow faster.

There are a couple of different problems with insulation that could be causing the snow-melt differences. Both of these lead us directly to the attic...

Insulation—The Big Picture

For those roofs where snow melts fast and furious, or the ones where large sections of snow melt all at once, the problem is most likely a lack of attic insulation or improperly installed attic insulation. Heat should not escape the attic, and heat from the home should not be a factor in how fast snow melts. The way snow melts should be entirely controlled by outdoor factors such as temperature and sunlight.

For the roof that dares to show its shingles first, the homeowner should be looking for professional help to diagnose and correct a problem.

Insulation—The Little Picture

Insulation problems can be sneaky. What if snow is melting faster in certain spots? A couple of different problems could cause this. The first relates back to the “big picture” answer—the attic insulation may be insufficient or improperly installed. Insulation could be fine in some spots, but damaged or too thin in others. If anyone has been in the attic for upgrades or repairs then they may have disturbed the insulation and created a problem.

The second potential problem is that the overall attic insulation may be fine, but there might be places where plumbing, vents, or other construction-related items penetrate into the attic from below, and the holes created for those things were not properly sealed. This causes “hot spots” where air escapes into the attic only in certain areas. These hot spots may be easy to track down, or it might be tricky to find the source. An insulation expert has the tools and knowledge to find the problem areas and correct them.

Does it Matter?

So, the snow melts faster in some spots than others. Maybe your entire roof is the snow melting king of the neighborhood. Should you care?

Yes!

There are two main reasons for concern. One is financial, and the other is, well—ultimately financial. Do you like paying more to heat and cool your home? If so, then let the snow melt as fast as it can. But if you’re concerned about your heating and cooling bill then you need to take steps to rectify the problem.

Wait—the heating and cooling bill is affected? If we’re talking about snow, that means winter heating, so what does this have to do with the air conditioner? The answer is simple—if you’re losing heat during the winter through poor insulation then you’re also losing cool air during the summer for the same reason. It’s a year-round problem, but it’s only visible when there’s snow.

The second financial reason begins with a non-financial problem. If snow melts from heat inside your home instead of the outside temperature, then there’s a chance the melted snow will refreeze once it reaches the gutter and soffit areas. When snow refreezes, it can block the gutters and form an ice dam that prevents water from properly exiting the roof. A sign that you have an ice dam is icicles hanging from the gutters or eaves after some snow has melted. And this becomes a financial problem when the water backs up under the shingles and makes its way into the attic or walls. This causes water leaks which damage the structure of your home, and the resulting moisture leads to mold and mildew, both of which are health hazards. Ultimately, damage to your home or health leads to a drain on your pocketbook.

What if my Snow Melts Faster than my Neighbor’s?

An inspection by a qualified insulation expert should be at the top of your list. At Koala Insulation, our technicians are experts in all kinds of insulation materials and installation techniques. Our experts bring state-of-the-art equipment with them to thoroughly inspect your home or building top to bottom, inside and out. They will give you a detailed assessment of your home. They will design a custom solution to meet your needs based on many years of experience. And since every building is unique, your expert may suggest a combination of installation options to protect your home from cold, heat, moisture, and pests—and melting snow.

Don’t forget that the investment you make today will reap years of energy-saving benefits. Contact us now to schedule a consultation to start your journey toward higher energy efficiency.