Roof Repair in Laval: Bungalow Roofs, Ice Dams and the RBQ

Ice dam or roof leak?

An ice dam forms when heat escaping into the attic melts snow from underneath and the meltwater refreezes at the cold eaves; water pools behind the ridge of ice and backs up under the shingles, appearing inside at the top of an exterior wall or around a window, often days into a cold spell. A roof leak appears during rain or a thaw, usually below a valley, a chimney, a plumbing vent or a damaged area, and in the same place each time.

Look outside: thick icicles and a band of ice along the eaves with the roof above bare mean the attic is losing heat. On many Laval bungalows the culprits are pot lights, an unsealed attic hatch, bathroom fans venting into the attic, and thin insulation.

Snow load and clearing safely

Low-slope roofs on bungalows, split-levels and rear additions hold snow rather than shedding it, and a rain-on-snow event turns light powder into a heavy load. Sticking doors and windows, new cracks at ceiling corners and a visible sag are reasons to call a snow-removal company the same day. Clearing a roof is dangerous work; companies that do it professionally use fall protection to CNESST standards, and nobody should be on a snowy roof with a shovel. A roof rake from the ground to clear the first metre above the eaves is the safe limit for a homeowner and reduces ice dams as well.

If a dam is actively leaking, a professional steam removal clears channels through it without damaging the shingles. Chipping with an axe, salt and pressure washing all shorten the roof’s life.

• Photos of icicles, the ice band and any interior stain
• Attic insulation depth and any gaps
• Bathroom and kitchen fans confirmed vented outside
• Soffit and roof ventilation present and clear
• Roof age and the number of shingle layers

What Quebec requires of a roofer

Roofing is construction work in Quebec, and a roofing contractor must hold a Régie du bâtiment du Québec licence in the right subclass; the RBQ lookup shows the licence and any restrictions. Ask for the CNESST registration and a certificate of liability insurance as well. Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act gives you a cancellation period on contracts signed with an itinerant merchant, which covers a roofer who came to your door. The City of Laval requires permits for some roofing work; ask the roofer what applies and confirm with the City.

A written contract should name the product, the underlayment, the ice-and-water membrane at the eaves and valleys, the number of layers being removed, ventilation changes, disposal and the payment schedule, in the language you read.

Replacing well, and fixing the attic at the same time

A replacement should add ice-and-water membrane well up the slope and proper soffit and ridge ventilation, and it is the right moment to air seal and insulate the attic, because the roofer is already looking at it. Programs from the province and Hydro-Québec have offered assistance for insulation upgrades; check what is currently available.

On a low-slope roof, ask whether the pitch is really suitable for shingles; below a certain slope a membrane roof is the correct product, and a roofer who says so is doing you a favour.