The stories of this past winter in Muskoka are the stuff of nightmares for cottage owners. They may not have been here to see the relentless snowfall, but their cottages certainly felt it.
Leaks travelling from the roof, through the ceilings and into the walls, causing moisture damage all along the way. Ice buildup so incredible that it not only tore apart eavestroughs, but caused structural damage to the soffits, fascia, and framing as well. Snow load so heavy that sections of roof collapsed.
“There are literally millions upon millions of dollars in damage throughout the region,” says Mike Vettese of GBS Contracting Services. “The build-up of snow and ice caused a lot of grief.”
In some cases, the roofs weren’t built right the first time; in others, minor issues were left attended until they became big problems.
Moisture can build up behind walls and go unnoticed for so long that by the time it’s discovered it’s too late and the walls are literally crumbling at the touch. There are health risks for the family too: mould growth that can cause respiratory issues to anyone living in the building.
“There were homes and cottages where water was pouring in from everywhere,” says Mike. “We received calls from all over the region to see if we could help.”
Each of those calls is coming from new clients. Mike and his team have not received even one call from a roof they built in the past 15 years. Not one. Considering the type of winter that happened, that’s a testament to the quality of their work.
“A lot of these leaks and ice damming were preventable with proper installation,” explains Mike. “Whether it was a lack of ventilation, poorly constructed framing and shingles, or not enough insulation – if a roofing system doesn’t have everything working the right way, it will fail.”
These failures are noticeable when ice damming occurs. Just driving around Muskoka and other parts of central Ontario, it was easy to see some homes with a foot or more of ice buildup around their lower roof and eavestroughs.
That’s like a neon sign that something isn’t right. It’s almost certain that moisture issues will begin to develop under all that ice.
Mike points out that combating moisture issues also means taking care of what’s beneath the surface. When exterior materials are installed properly, they prevent damage from wind, rain, sleet, and snow. But if they’re not installed properly, moisture can infiltrate the building.
When the GBS team installs siding, they first fasten a moisture-proof membrane to the walls as an extra layer of protection. Combine this with a quality roofing system that has proper ventilation and insulation, and the risk of moisture buildup is greatly reduced.
“The building envelope is the most critical element, and the biggest part of that is the roof,” he explains. “If it’s done properly, it seals the building while still allowing excess humidity to escape, preventing moisture from building up inside the structure.”
Snow load maintenanceOne thing Mike notes when winters like this happen is that snow removal is key to protecting homes and cottages from roof damage. Even the best sealed buildings with the best roofs need a little human touch from time to time.
“Roofs in Muskoka are built to withstand around 3.5 feet of snow build-up, not 25 feet of snow load,” warns Mike. “You have to remove snow from your roof regularly to keep the weight at a reasonable level.”
He says even if you can’t do it yourself, it needs to be done. Hiring a person to alleviate the snow load is a lot cheaper than having your roof collapse under the pressure.
“We have seen it time and again: roofs that aren’t maintained end up with serious damage,” says Mike. “Some are partial collapses that require a lot of work; other situations need full roof rebuilds.”
Expert teamGBS Contracting Services offers a range of quality roofing, including metal roofs and top-end shingle options. They only build with materials capable of standing up to Canadian winters.
When installed properly with all the important components working together, the roofing systems will protect from the elements.
With a fully insured and fully trained team, GBS Contracting Services has been completing quality work since 1999. They are experts at roofing, and other projects. They also are happy to provide references to vouch for their abilities.
“We not only will complete the work you ask us too, but we’ll be on the lookout for any potential issues before they get out of hand,” says Mike. “Ensuring your home or cottage is in great shape to protect your family is what we do
TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
