UPDATED FOR 2026
Winter Roof Damage on Long Island: What Every Homeowner Should Watch For
Ice dams, snow loads, and freeze-thaw damage threaten Long Island roofs every winter. Learn the warning signs and when to call a pro.
Key Takeaways:
- Ice dams, heavy snow loads, and freeze-thaw cycles are the three biggest winter threats to Long Island roofs.
- Most winter roof damage starts with inadequate attic insulation and ventilation—not the weather itself.
- Icicles hanging from your gutters aren’t charming—they’re a warning sign that ice dams are forming and water is backing up under your shingles.
- Acting quickly on winter damage prevents small problems from turning into major spring repair bills.
Long Island winters are tough on roofs. We don’t get the extreme cold of upstate New York, but what we get is arguably worse for roofing systems: constant freeze-thaw cycles, heavy wet snow, ice storms, coastal nor’easters, and enough temperature swings to stress every material on your roof.
Every February and March, my phone starts ringing with calls from homeowners who are seeing water stains, ice buildup, or outright leaks they didn’t have in the fall. Most of this damage didn’t happen overnight. It started earlier in the winter, when the first ice dams formed or the first heavy snow load stressed an already-weakened area of the roof.
Here’s what to watch for—and what to do about it—so you don’t end up with a major repair bill when spring arrives.
Ice Dams: Long Island’s Most Common Winter Roof Problem
Ice dams form when heat escaping from your attic melts snow on the upper portion of your roof.
That melted water runs down to the eaves, where the roof is colder (because it extends past the heated part of your home), and refreezes. Over time, this creates a ridge of ice that traps water behind it. That trapped water has nowhere to go except under your shingles and into your home.
You’ll know ice dams are forming if you see icicles hanging from your gutters or eaves.
Contrary to what a lot of people think, icicles aren’t harmless—they’re a visible symptom of water backing up and refreezing at the edge of your roof. The real damage is happening behind them, where you can’t see it.
The root cause of ice dams is almost always inadequate attic insulation or ventilation. When your attic is too warm, snow melts from below instead of from sun exposure, and the cycle starts. Fixing this is the long-term solution—not just chipping ice off your gutters every winter.
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Heavy Snow Loads Put Stress on Your Structure
A foot of packed, wet snow can weigh 15 to 20 pounds per square foot.
On a typical Long Island home, that’s several tons of weight your roof structure was designed to handle—but maybe not if the roof is aging, the decking has soft spots, or previous repairs weren’t done properly.
After a heavy snowfall, watch for warning signs inside your home: doors that suddenly stick or won’t close, cracks appearing in ceiling drywall, or visible sagging in the ceiling. These can all indicate that the snow load is stressing your roof structure beyond its limits.
If you’re concerned about snow load after a major storm, call a professional before trying to remove snow yourself. Improper snow removal can damage shingles, and walking on a snow-covered roof is dangerous.
Freeze-Thaw Cycles Damage Everything Slowly
Long Island’s winter temperature pattern—freezing overnight, warming above freezing during the day, then freezing again—is brutal on roofing materials.
Water gets into every tiny crack in your shingles, flashing, and caulking during the warm periods, then expands when it freezes. This slowly widens those cracks with each cycle, turning minor imperfections into entry points for water.
This is why a roof that looked fine in October can develop leaks by February. The damage is cumulative, and each freeze-thaw cycle makes it a little worse.
Homes in inland areas of Nassau and Suffolk County tend to experience more freeze-thaw cycles than coastal homes, where the ocean moderates temperatures somewhat.
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Condensation in the Attic
Winter condensation is a sneaky problem that mimics a roof leak.
When warm, moist air from your living space rises into a cold, poorly ventilated attic, it condenses on the underside of the roof decking. This can cause the same problems as a leak—water stains, mold growth, wood rot—without any actual breach in your roof.
If you’re seeing moisture in your attic during winter, check your ventilation before assuming you have a leak. Bathroom exhaust fans and dryer vents that terminate in the attic instead of outside are common culprits on older Long Island homes. Fixing the ventilation issue solves the problem.
Wind Damage from Nor’easters
Nor’easters are a fact of life on Long Island, and they can deliver sustained winds of 40 to 60 mph with gusts well beyond that.
This kind of wind gets underneath shingles—especially at edges, ridges, and any areas where shingles were already loose or lifting—and peels them back or tears them off entirely.
After any significant windstorm, do a visual inspection from the ground. Look for shingles in your yard, bare spots on the roof, or ridge cap shingles that have blown off. Even if everything looks okay from the ground, wind damage often affects areas you can’t see without getting on the roof.
Don’t Wait Until Spring to Address Winter Damage
The biggest mistake I see Long Island homeowners make is waiting until spring to deal with winter roof damage.
By the time the snow melts and the weather warms up, a small problem from January has had three months to get worse. Water that got in through an ice dam in December has been sitting in your insulation and decking all winter, causing rot and mold growth.
If you notice any signs of a problem—water stains, ice dams, missing shingles, sagging—call a roofer now, not in April.
At County Roofing Systems, we handle winter roof issues year-round. With over 35 years of experience working through Long Island winters and certifications from CertainTeed, GAF, and Owens Corning, we know how to diagnose and fix winter damage quickly before it turns into a spring disaster.
Your roof is dealing with a lot right now. Give it the attention it needs before winter finishes what it started.
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