Thursday, December 12, 2013

Installing a New Shingle Roof in Winter

There are so many myths and opinions on how the winter and the cold temperatures that it brings with it affect roofing.  As with summer, there are days when it is too hot or roofing.  The same applies to winter, some days it will just be too cold to lay shingles.  If you hire a contractor that understands roofing and follows the procedures needed to install a roof in the winter there should not be any issues with the roof at all. In this article we will look at the advantages and disadvantages that come into play when installing a new roof in the winter.

The first thing roofing contractors get asked about is the temperature and the adhesive on the shingles.  Sunlight, whether during the heat of summer or the chill of winter will help allow the shingles to adhere to the roof.  If a roof contractor ever recommends using roofing cement on your roof run the other way.  Never let anyone use roofing cement on your roof. 

Another belief is that shingles installed in the winter will blow off easier because they are not properly sealed.  This too is not the case.  Shingles tend to blow off of a roof because they are not properly fastened.  When a nailing gun is used the roofer needs to make sure at all times that the nails are not blowing through the shingles.  When this occurs, winter or summer, the shingles will blow off.  They key is to hire a roofing contractor that is consensus of how much pressure is being blown out with the use of his pneumatic nail gun.  During the winter it is also best practice to fasten the shingles by hand to guarantee the shingle is held down and doesn’t split from the cold.  

There are advantages that come with installing a new roof in the winter.  In the cold shingles are a lot less likely to be scuffed or marred up from the roofers moving about on the freshly laid shingles.  The shingles are more solid and rugged when the tar has not left the gravel loose. 

The winter is considered the off season for most roofing companies especially those in the Northeast. With this said winter is the perfect time for those homeowners that do not have time to wait for a roofing contractors schedule to open up because most likely it already is.  In the summer you are really at the beck and call of the roofer.  With so many roofs that need to be done roofers tend to have tighter schedules and skeleton crews. However in the winter your roof could be removed, repaired and re-roofed all in the same day with the larger crew and availability of the roofing contractor.  

Another thing to consider is that in the winter shingle lines are being discounted because they are being discontinued.  This can lead to major savings for you as a homeowner.  Assist your contractor in finding the best deal on quality shingles for your home.  It may save you hundreds of dollars having discontinued shingles shipped to you for your new roof. 

The jury is still out of course as people that believe winter roofing is not as viable as summer roofing will most likely not be swayed.  The good and the bad comes along with any home improvement project and living in a climate with four seasons presents a challenge when it comes to having a rood installed.