You should only use it on roofs in select circumstances like severe cold.
Rock salt on your roof.
It rusts nail heads.
In turn this rust can cause stains and streaks on your roof.
Discolored driveway sidewalks or front stoop.
It should be no surprise then that it is the first.
Rock salt s ability to damage driveways and other outdoor pavements is relatively well known but there is another place where rock salt can do damage to your home on the roof top.
Rock salt may not damage the shingles themselves but it can cause the nails holding your shingles to the roof to corrode.
Unlike other substances salt won t impair your cognitive functions but people might conclude otherwise if they see what you ve done to your roof and property.
Why you shouldn t use rock salt on your roof in their determination to melt away ice dams growing on their roof s eave and thus potentially prevent leakage and damage to their home s interior many reach for the deicer they are most familiar with rock salt as the solution.
Is it safe to use salt on your roof.
Rock salt is corrosive in nature.
The key is to avoid sodium chloride or rock salt.
In short rock salt can compromise the integrity of a sound roof by corroding the materials that help keep it together.
As a result it can cause damage to vulnerable parts of your roof including nail heads and aluminum flashing.
Rock salt is common for de icing driveways and paths.
What kind of salt can you put on your roof for ice dams.
Additionally if they get too bad the nails can rust through and break thus causing your shingles to become loose and get damaged.
Some people use table salt for de icing instead of rock salt.
Rusting nail heads can cause aesthetically unpleasant staining but more importantly they can result in loose roofing materials that can easily tear off during stormy weather.
Just say no to salting your roof.
Corroded gutters and downspouts.