Roof Repair and Replacement in Canton, CT

Why does ice linger on one side of a Canton roof?

In a hill town with shaded valleys, the north-facing slope can stay frozen long after the south side has shed its snow. That uneven melt is a recipe for ice dams: warm attic air melts snow where the roof is warm, and the water freezes again at the cold eaves, sometimes behind a wall of icicles that reads as a warning.

The conditions that favor an ice dam are several days of low-20s temperatures with several inches of snow on the roof. Local guidance for dealing with them starts inside, with attic insulation around R-49 to R-60 and sealed leaks around pull-down stairs, vent fans and recessed lights. A roof rake can help on a single-story house.

Do not chip at ice with a hammer or spread salt on shingles. Our ice dam removal and prevention page explains what a roofer does instead, and the attic ventilation and insulation page covers the cause.

What is different about roofing an old mill-village house?

Age, mostly. Many older Collinsville houses are close together on narrow lanes, so a roofer needs to think about where a dumpster or ladder can go, how steep the roof is, and what is directly below the eave. Mention that when you call, along with how many stories the house has and whether the roof has a chimney or dormer.

Older roofs may also have several shingle layers, and Connecticut limits asphalt shingles to two. That is why a tear-off inspection comes before a firm plan on a house like this. The roofer looks at the number of layers and at the deck underneath, and the quote follows from that. Read roof types on Connecticut homes if you are weighing materials.

Does a house near the river need different gutters?

Houses on a hillside beside a river shed a lot of water, so gutters and downspouts earn their keep. Debris from trees builds up in them, and snow and ice add weight that can pull a gutter off the fascia. Water that spills at the wrong place can run down siding or into a foundation, which is a different problem from a roof leak.

If a run is sagging, ask the roofer to look at the fascia boards behind it as well, because soft wood will not hold a new gutter any better than an old one. See gutter repair and replacement for what is usually involved.

Where is the right place to start looking after a snowfall in a valley town?

Start at the edges, from the ground. Icicles in a row, ice that sits thicker at the eave than the snow above it, and water marks on the siding below the roof edge all show where meltwater is going. On a hillside lot, check the uphill side as well, since snow and runoff come down toward the house.

Inside, look at the top-floor ceilings and the walls under the eaves. A new brown stain or a bubble in the paint after a thaw is the signal. Take a photo with the date, and read heavy snow roof damage if the roof also seems to sag or creak under the weight.