Can a Roof Be Replaced in the Winter?

Roofs have been designed in keeping your homes dry and away from moisture for decades. Just like every other material that’s used to build your home, shingles, tiles, metal roofs, have a definite lifespan. Sooner or later, you’ll need to replace your roof once you find that there are irreversible damages that have started to build up over time.

It’s best to keep in mind that there will be seasons that are colder and wetter than the rest of the other seasons. Particularly, most contractors would advise doing a roof replacement during spring when the amount of precipitation is quite high than during the winter when snow falls on your roof and ice dams likely form.

If there are no other options and roofing during the winter season has to be done, then it can be done and special preparations have to be performed. But before we get into that, we have to first look at the reasons why most roofing contractors would rather not work on a cold hazardous roof during the winter season.

Why You Shouldn’t Replace Roofs During Winter

Too Hazardous

One of the main reasons why most roofing specialists would rather not be on a roof is that water freezes and the tiles and shingles become slippery. If you do commission someone to do repairs and replacements during the winter season, having the right safety equipment is necessary to ensure that no one gets hurt during the process.

Roofing Materials Will Break

Certain roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles, have to be installed at a certain temperature so that they will not expand or shrink to the point that it will be difficult to make the necessary measurements. Moreover, most roofing materials also turn brittle when exposed to lower temperatures and might break when stepped on. This makes it very difficult to properly install shingles on your roof. Even when shingles do get installed, there is even a chance that the process is not optimum and it could easily become damaged or fall off.

Water and Moisture Can Get Trapped

If it’s snowing or raining while your roof is being replaced, water could easily seep towards the tight gaps and corners of what’s being worked on and could lead to the formation of mold, mildew, and moss. These fungal and organic growths can compromise and slowly chip away at the foundation and structure of your roof if not taken care of.

Roofing During Winter

If you’re really racing against time and need to have your roof installed during the winter season, then there are some techniques that can be employed so that water and moisture won’t seep towards the gaps and that your shingles won’t break.

Keeping Your Shingles Warm

One of the best ways in keeping your shingles warm during the winter season is by storing them in your garage or in an area with a heater. Once they are within the temperatures of 40 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then they are within the right temperature to be installed.

Sealing Your Shingles

Other than keeping your shingles warm, it’s also appropriate to seal your shingles so that water and snow might not seep towards your roof’s interiors.

Reroofing during the winter season is possible, but it isn’t the easiest of tasks. If you’re looking to repair and replace your roof during the winter season, it’s best to look for a contractor that specializes in reroofing projects during wetter and colder seasons.

At the end of the day, it’s best to replace your roof in hotter and drier climates. If water does get into your roofing system’s interior, this could lead to several problems that roofing contractors have to take into account. You wouldn’t want to pay for future repairs and replacements, would you?

If you really want to have your roof replaced during the winter season, then it can be done, but almost all the signs and factors would say that it’s not recommended.

Replacing a roof is already a big investment since you’ll need to buy the roofing materials and pay your contractor for the professional and labor fees. It’s counter-intuitive to be replacing your roof during the winter season since your roof is there to protect your home from snow, rain, and moisture in the first place.

If you’re in a hurry to complete your roof during the winter season or even during the hotter seasons, then you can always contact a professional roofing contractor with the necessary tools to work on your roofing in Montgomery County MD despite the season. Although this is still not recommended, having a roofing contractor with the right equipment and skills will make sure that the process is done properly.