“Can roofing be done in winter?” is a common question for roofing companies and their contractors. Some homeowners face damage on the roof and find themself in a panic wondering what to do now and if it’s possible to fix the roof in cold weather. Well, the answer is simple – YES, of course, it’s possible. We don’t want to wait until spring for roof repair or replacement because the damage may be greater and repair could be more complex and expensive. If you find a roofing company with proven experienced contractors you don’t have to worry about winter roofing repair.
In this article, we will give you some basic but important information about roofing in the winter and how you can find good roofing contractors who will provide you with a solid and completely correct roof.
Here are some facts about roofing in winter.
Some Roofing Contractors Wouldn’t Take This Job
This could be the first hint about the experience of roofing contractors. In order to successfully carry out winter roof repair, contractors must be well trained in this type of repair, they must have additional equipment and finally, they must have the experience to assess whether it is possible to make repairs on a particular day or if they need to wait a few days for the temperature to rise. Roofing in cold weather has some risks and some contractors don’t want to take them. They want to play it safe.
Risks Of Winter Roofing
- The possibility of contractors’ injury because of the slippery conditions
When temperatures are very low, roofs can be slippery due to ice, rain, or snow, which makes work difficult and poses a danger to roofing contractors. In this case, roofers should wait for the start of the repair for a few hours so that the ice melts and the staff can walk freely on the roof. However, in such conditions, it is important to have protective equipment. Our contractors, in Roofing Above All go out on the field with helmets, harnesses, and belts that protect them from falling in case they slip on the roof.
- Problems from the usage of pneumatic nail guns
Pneumatic nail guns contain compressed air, and when that air is released, any moisture can become water. So if the water is below the freezing temperature, ice can form in the airlines, which can reduce the airflow. All this can lead to a higher risk of underdriven or overdriven nails. In these conditions, roofers must pay extra attention to the depth and placement of the nails to ensure properly installed shingles.
- Badly sealed shingles
Shingles nowadays are designed with thermally-activated asphalt sealant. Sunlight and warm atmosphere temperature seal shingles to the roof, and it can take a couple of weeks for the shingles to completely seal. When the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit there is a risk that the sealant doesn’t work well. In this case, shingles must be hand-sealed to provide a properly installed roof. Once again, this is the moment when the experience of the roofers is necessary. On the other hand, if it’s not something urgent the contractors will probably suggest you postpone the roofing shingles installation for a few days until the temperature rises.
- Risk of shingles breaking
Installation of asphalt shingles in cold weather is risky because shingles are brittle and there’s a possibility of breaking. Our roofers prevent this by using snips instead of utility knives.
Metal Roof Installation In Winter
Unlike the materials on the roof such as asphalt roofing shingles, low temperatures don’t affect the efficiency of roofing in the winter when it comes to the metal materials on the roofs.
Winter Roofing Can Take Longer Than Usual
As we mentioned before, the adhesives for asphalt roofing shingles work by the sunlight. If it’s cold outside, the adhesives need more time to seal the shingles to the roof. If the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, roofing contractors must hand-seal shingles to the roof, which also takes longer.
Benefits Of Roofing In Winter
While roofing in the winter carries many risks, two things can be defined as the benefits of winter roofing.
1. When the roofers are experienced professionals, hand-seal work will be done properly, and maybe even more precisely. Sometimes those roofs last longer than roofs installed or repaired at higher temperatures and better conditions.
2. Since the winter is not the season period for roof repairs and installations, you can get good offers and save some money as easily as finding a contractor in case of an emergency.
Recommendations For Homeowners
Most other roofing companies, and we at Roofing Above All as well, will advise you to regularly maintain and check your roof. This is especially important to do in the spring, summer, or eventually autumn. It is good practice to do a roof inspection and fix any problems in order to be ready for the winter, its low temperatures, and unfavorable conditions. Regular maintenance of your roof will also save you time and money.
If it happens that the roof is damaged in the middle of the winter, there are some leaks, etc., you should not wait and postpone the repair because of the low temperatures. Delaying repairs can only cause more damage. Get yourself information about roof repairs in the winter and then find a roofing company with experience in such repairs. Talk with contractors. Ask them to explain how they will work, what equipment and materials they will use. Ask for some proof that they have experience in this. Experienced professionals will do this job flawlessly no matter what the conditions are.
If you have any problems with the roof, an experienced RAA team of certified professionals is always at your service. We approach your problem as our own. With us, you can be relaxed and confident in the quality of the roof repair or installation. If you have any questions regarding roofing call us on 586.803.3626 or contact us via the contact form.