Roof installations during winter have always been a caused a lot of consternation for homeowners. This is because of the mixed information out there about roof installations during winter. Some contractors don’t do roofing installations in winter while some manufacturers have guidelines about how their roofing products may be installed during cold and icy conditions.
The fact is that there are no set industry standards for roofing during winter and contractors follow different guidelines for doing this. Read a little more to find out all you need to know about roofing during winter.
Can I Install Roofing During Winter?
This is the basic question around this whole issue. The quick answer is yes, but that comes with several caveats. One is that is much more preferable to roof during the warm season for a variety of reasons but roofing can also be done during winter. One of those reasons is as basic as it gets; clambering up rooftops that are wet and slippery from ice poses certain hazards that don’t exist during the dry season.
In addition, the cold weather makes certain roofing materials brittle and prone to breaking during installation. In addition, cold weather often prevents the self-sealing strips that hold the shingles in place from bonding properly. While this and the others are legitimate concerns, professional and experienced roofing contractors can work around most of these problems and install roofs during winter.
What You Should Know About Winter Roofing Installation
Remember that if you choose to do roofing during the cold season (or are forced to because of a roofing emergency), it will probably take longer than if you are roofing during the dry season. Because the sealing process takes longer during the cold season, roofers will normally return to ensure that the roof is properly sealed. Sometimes the roofers will wait for periods of favorable weather even in between the cold season to do the job.
Seek Professional Advice
Often, manufactures will have very specific guidelines about how their products can be used during the cold season. Please pay attention to the suggestions given by the roofing material manufacturer before you buy, store and install. If you are working with a professional roofing contractor, they will probably offer you advice on how to go about this and the material you should use. In a nutshell, roofing during winter poses certain challenges so you need to pay extra attention to what the manufacturers and the roofing contractors tell you.
Be Proactive
To avoid roofing problems during winter, it is often a good idea to carry out a roof inspection during the fall to acertain that your roof is in good condition. This in essence is meant to eliminate the possibility of needing to do emergency roofing work during winter. A professional contractor will quickly assess your roof’s conditions and carry out any repair work that is needed before winter sets in. This is what is called proactive maintenance.
Roofing in winter certainly poses additional challenges that you would not experience if you were roofing during the dry and warm seasons. These challenges not withstanding, you can still roof your house during winter by following these simple tips. Talk to an experienced contractor for specific advice on how to go about roofing during winter.