Weather in Central Oregon is unpredictable, to say the least. This last winter saw an unprecedented dump of snow in February, forcing schools and businesses to close. The past few summers have been inundated with smoke from forest fires and even these last few months have been sprinkled with rain and hail, which any Central Oregon native will recognize as fairly typical for mid-summer weather. Protecting your home from the unpredictable elements is important in any environment—in Central Oregon, it’s crucial. Preparing your roof for the months ahead is one of the ways you can protect your home and at GFL Construction, we take that seriously.
When it comes to winter, the best way to protect your home is by installing an ice shield. While we are still enjoying the summer months, with swimming, bbq dinners on the deck and even roof-top star gazing, we still need to think ahead for the coming months and prepare our homes for the change in weather.
What is an ice dam?
As winter wears on, accumulated snow on your roof melts because of the heat within your house. Melted snow drips through the shingles on your roof and refreezes due to the cold temperatures outside. As the water refreezes, it forms an ice dam at the edge of your roof. The risks this issue presents are dangerous for both you and your home. Water often drains into your home as a result, shingles are torn loose and gutters often fall off altogether. Simply put, ice dams are a huge risk in the winter season, especially in a region that receives large dumps of snow. The solution? Ice shields.
What is an ice shield?
Ice shields serve as a layer of protection between your shingles and the rest of your home. In technical terms, it’s a waterproof roof underlayment membrane made to protect roofs from ice and water damage. Ice shields not only prevent the buildup of ice dams, but they also prevent other water damage to occur from rain and hail. Beyond an ice shield, there are few better safety measures a construction company can install that protects your Central Oregon home from the elements.
Why do I need an ice shield?
As we mentioned before, the weather in Central Oregon is unpredictable. While we might boast the highest annual average number of sunny days in the state, we also routinely experience so-called “snowpocalypses” and freezing conditions in the winters. To best protect your home from accumulating ice dams and sustaining serious damage, ice shields are the way to go. Central Oregon construction companies typically recognize this and can install ice shields upon request.
At GFL Construction, we don’t stop at installing a single ice sheet, though. To truly protect your home from the accumulation of ice dams, we install two ice shields under your shingles. This prevents any water from leaking through. This tried-and-true method preserves our quality custom homes and has kept our customers happy with zero roof leaks in the past three years, despite the onslaught of snow we’ve experienced. Our number one goal is to protect your roof, which in turn protects your entire home. Preparing your roof for year-round weather is crucial, and it’s our top priority when building your dream home!