After a longer period of sun when a conservatory has been able to be enjoyed as it was truly intended, the mercury has started to plummet and the conservatory needs to be prepped for winter.
Often this includes fitting thicker curtains, installing a heater and altering the space for primarily indoor use, but it is also important to prepare the outside of your conservatory as well to avoid any particularly nasty surprises before the first flush of spring.
In particular, it is really important to take care of the roof, as thick snowfall and frozen ice dams can cause unexpected damage and necessitate bringing in experts to help repair your conservatory.
Here are some top tips to stop ice and snow from building up on your conservatory roof over the winter.
Check The Gutters
Outside of particularly unexpected blizzard conditions, the main concern for most conservatory owners will be heavy rainfall, and if that rain freezes it can cause particularly damaging ice dams on your conservatory roof.
The best way to stop that from happening is to ensure water flows quickly and smoothly from the roof, and the best way to achieve that is to check the gutters are free of leaves, mud and gunk before the temperatures get too low.
Install A Melt Sock
A common DIY solution to ensure water can flow from the roof even during particularly frosty weather is through the use of an ice sock.
Essentially, this is a nylon long sock or half of a pair of tights filled with a de-icing liquid that rests on your roof across an ice dam and overhangs the gutter to help melt and loosen ice and create a channel for water to travel down.
It is not a perfect solution, particularly given that some de-icers are corrosive to certain metals, so check before you set one up.