Snow, ice and wind on Burlington roofs
The Burlington airport record shows about 87.5 inches of snow a year, with snow on the ground for 89 days. On a flat or low-slope roof in the Old North End or Downtown, that much snow stays as a load for weeks.
Freezing nights number 145 a year. Each thaw-and-refreeze cycle is a chance for meltwater to back up under shingles at the eaves of an older Hill Section house.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Frost-free window | April 29 to October 15 |
| Nights at or below freezing | 145 nights |
| Days that never rise above freezing | 57 days |
| Precipitation per year | 37.53 in a year |
| Snow per year (Burlington International Airport) | 87.5 in |
| Days with snow on the ground | 89 days |
| Days with an inch or more of new snow | 23.1 days |
Burlington's 2019 Comprehensive Plan describes the Intervale as an 870-acre Winooski River floodplain that holds the city's largest natural area and its working farms.
What the housing and sites mean for the roof
Work worth discussing
- Leak tracing around chimneys, dormers, valleys, sidewalls, and additions
- Repair planning for asphalt, metal, slate, membrane, or mixed roofing
- Replacement scopes that separate the main roof from porches and lower additions
- Low-slope drainage and roof-to-wall transitions
- Older-material repairs that require a compatible product and experienced handling
Services that fit
Roof repair and leak tracing in Burlington
Trace leaks across chimneys, dormers, valleys, porches, additions, and roof sections installed at different times.
Roof repair and leak tracing in Burlington: Read moreRoof replacement planning in Burlington
Break the proposal into the main roof, lower roofs, porches, and connectors so the exact replacement boundary is clear.
Roof replacement planning in Burlington: Read moreSlate and specialty roofing in Burlington
Evaluate slate, older metal, cedar, and mixed-material areas before a repair changes an uncommon or historic assembly.
Slate and specialty roofing in Burlington: Read moreSkylight, chimney, and flashing repair in Burlington
Inspect masonry, step flashing, counterflashing, sidewalls, and skylight details instead of treating nearby shingles as the only source.
Skylight, chimney, and flashing repair in Burlington: Read moreEPDM and membrane roofing in Burlington
Review drainage, seams, edges, walls, and tie-ins on low-slope additions, porches, and connectors.
EPDM and membrane roofing in Burlington: Read morePlan around the building and site
Close lots can affect ladders, tear-off containers, material delivery, parking, and protection for neighboring property. Before work begins, the roofing company should walk the access route, identify landscaping and pedestrian areas, and put staging and cleanup responsibilities in writing.
Details to share before the visit
- Which part of the building is leaking or damaged
- The material and approximate age of each roof section, if known
- Chimneys, skylights, solar equipment, or low-slope additions
- Driveway, alley, parking, or neighboring-property constraints
- Past repairs and whether the same leak returned
- Any known permit or historic-review questions that need confirmation
Guides for these properties
What to do when the roof leaks
What to do when the roof leaks: Read moreRepair or replace the roof?
Repair or replace the roof?: Read moreRoofing estimate comparison checklist
Roofing estimate comparison checklist: Read moreQuestions to settle before work begins
Does an older Burlington house always have one roof system?
No. A main house, porch, dormer, bay, garage, and later addition may use different coverings and flashing details. Ask the inspector to photograph and label each section before pricing work.
Can a slate section be repaired without replacing the asphalt roof?
Possibly. The condition of the slate, fasteners, flashings, deck, and transition to nearby roofing determines the scope. The company should show experience with the material it proposes to touch.
How should Burlington permit questions be handled?
Check the City of Burlington's current permitting pages for the specific property and project. The contract should say who confirms the requirement, submits documents, pays fees, schedules inspections, and closes the permit.
Where to confirm the requirements
City of Burlington Permitting & Inspections
Check the City's current permit information and confirm responsibility, fees, inspections, and closeout in the roofing contract.
City of Burlington Permitting & Inspections: Open resourceThe setting that shapes a Burlington roof
That rise matters more than the distance. A roof near the waterfront takes wind off open water with little upwind shelter, which is the condition that finds lifted shingle edges, ridge caps, and any flashing that was surface-sealed. Not integrated. A few hundred feet higher and further inland, the wind exposure drops and the governing problems shift toward snow retention, ice at the eaves, and attic moisture in tightly built older houses.
Burlington is also the densest building fabric in the region outside Winooski. Narrow side yards, shared driveways, mature street trees, and on-street parking all affect where a dumpster and a materials truck can legally sit, how the roof is staged, and how tear-off debris is protected from a neighbour's property. Those are scheduling and cost questions, and they belong in the proposal rather than being discovered on day one.
- Wind exposure changes between the waterfront, the Old North End, and the Hill Section
- Access, staging, and dumpster placement on narrow lots and shared drives
- Mature tree cover producing shade, moss, and debris in valleys and gutters
- Neighbouring-property protection during tear-off on close-set lots
Burlington neighbourhoods and what changes between them
The city recognises seven districts, and the roof questions genuinely differ across them. Downtown and the South End include low-slope and mixed-assembly commercial roofs. The Old North End is dense nineteenth-century housing with steep pitches, close-set walls, and many roof-to-wall transitions. The Hill Section and the University District hold larger Victorian-era houses, some with slate and complex rooflines. The New North End is predominantly post-war suburban housing with simpler asphalt roofs. The Intervale is open agricultural land along the Winooski River.
Old North End
Dense historic housing, steep pitches, party-wall and roof-to-wall transitions, limited staging room.
Hill Section & University District
Larger Victorian-era houses, complex rooflines, dormers, and surviving slate roofs.
New North End
Post-war suburban stock, simpler roof geometry, mostly asphalt replacement work.
South End & Downtown
Post-industrial and commercial buildings, low-slope membrane assemblies, rooftop equipment.
The Intervale
Agricultural land along the Winooski River. Barn, outbuilding, and unheated-structure roofing.
What Burlington's building age means for your roof
In practice that means plank sheathing rather than plywood, original slate on some roofs, multiple prior layer-overs on others, chimneys that were never properly cricketed, and attic spaces that were insulated long after the house was built. None of that is visible from the street, and it is the single biggest reason a Burlington replacement proposal needs a written decking allowance. Not a flat number.
If the property sits in a historic district or is individually listed, exterior changes can carry review requirements beyond the ordinary permit. Confirm that with the city before a material or colour is chosen, not after the order is placed.
- Plank sheathing and prior layer-overs concealed under the current covering
- Original slate worth assessing before it is replaced with asphalt
- Chimney flashing and cricket details on older masonry
- Historic-district or landmark review where it applies
Primary sources
Service information last reviewed August 29, 2026. Project acceptance, scheduling, and recommendations are confirmed by the roofing company.