Roofs take a beating

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer

When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Feb. 2, Carbon County residents may have wondered what six more weeks of winter would do to their roofs, especially if they are flat.

In what many call the toughest winter in 15 years, the snow, ice and wind that first breathed its icy breath across the county in October have pushed the limits of residential and commercial flat roofs.

Flat roofs trap snow, and while it takes seven or eight feet of snow to really press the structural limits of a flat roof, the melting process is what stresses its ability to withstand winter.

And so, in snowy areas of the county, residents often climb atop their house to remove snow in anticipation of spring.

Don Brinkman, director of maintenance for the city and a homeowner in Ryan Park, said he keeps his roof clear through the hired help of Eddie Gross. Gross said there are some homes in Ryan Park that currently stand under four feet of snow. Sometimes, the houses collapse under the weight of the snowflakes. “You have to watch it,” Brinkman said.

Flat roofs atop the city of Rawlins’ buildings see a lot of trouble from the melting process, according to Brinkman. The problem doesn’t arise until the sun comes out on a warm day, he said. Then, the snow begins to melt and flows toward the drains. When there is heavy snowfall, it doesn’t all melt at once, so what Brinkman called an “ice dam” forms when the melted snow freezes that night. The next day, the same thing happens. It occurs over and over until the roof has a solid block of ice covering its drains.

“Whoever says water can’t flow uphill is wrong,” Brinkman said. According to Brinkman, as the snow melts and hits the ice dam, it freezes again. Then the water becomes trapped and starts seeping under the plastic membrane protecting the roof from leakage. He believes this is the harshest winter since 1984 in terms of city roof care, since there has been a constant wind chill keeping the roofs from completely thawing and draining on their own.

Currently, the city’s Public Works building is in need of repair due to leakage of the type Brinkman talked about. Likewise, City Hall is having trouble keeping Rawlins City Manager Dave Derragon’s office dry. Hones Veterinary replaced its roof this year, but employees said they did not have significant trouble with it before.

New roofs are costly and often need repair more frequently in Wyoming than they do in other places. Brinkman said a new roof on a building the size of the Rawlins Family Recreation Center would cost $70,000. New guttering and a membrane replacement on City Hall might cause a $25,000 dent in the city’s budget.

“Flat roofs are bad in this area, yes,” Brinkman said with a laugh. “No doubt about it.”