How much does ice and snow affect your commercial roof?

Winter is officially here!
December 22nd kickstarted the first day of winter, the winter solstice, and that means a flip of the calendar can turn the holiday season into a winter wonderland of snow and ice. Brrr! While you hunker down for a long winter’s nap, you may want to consider how much snow and ice might be weighing down your business roof.
On average, a cubic foot of light, fluffy snow can weigh as much as 5.2 lb. or more. A wet, heavy snow can weigh well over 12 pounds. (Source) You may think, “It’s the Lou! How much snow do we really get every year?” St. Louis averages 14 days of snowfall every year with 4.7-5 days of snow in January on average. (Source) With the average commercial roof scaling in at 10,000 sq. ft., four inches of partially wet snow on your roof can quickly add up to over 28,330 lb. of weight!
Now, let’s talk about ice. A square foot of ice one-inch thick weighs approximately five pounds. (Nations Roof) If your 10,000 sq. ft. commercial roof collects only 1/4″ of ice during the next storm, the ice load will still weigh in at a hefty 12,500 lb. That’s the equivalent of parking two Dodge Ram 3500 duallys on your roof overnight and hoping the sunshine will melt the Rams away.
Your roof is under a lot of weight! A minor tear in your roofing surface can allow water and moisture to invade the crucial support structure under your roof deck. This can cause major problems, even roof collapses, if the damage is unchecked. A thorough commercial roof maintenance program (RMP) will give you the insight and action steps needed to keep your roof safe and strong this winter.
The sky’s not falling, but your roof may be. Connect with a member of our R&A Contracting team to schedule your free, no obligation roof inspection today. Hopefully your roof is up for the task of holding the ice and snow at bay. If not, you’ll be glad you called R&A Contracting.