Good Morning,
I am looking to have my roof replaced, and I have a roofer who’s crew works all year. The roof and sheathing are very worn but not leaking yet. This job is in SE PA where the highs currently are in the 40s to 50s.
A second contractor would follow the roofer to cap exterior trim, install new gutters, and a couple new windows.
I would love to get all of this work done and over with. However, I was always told that you should wait until nice weather to replace your roof unless you couldn’t. It makes sense to me that a roofer would rush a job more when it was cold.
Should I wait until spring?
Replies
We work all year except when it's raining or snowing. I think when lighter weight 3 tab shingles were the norm, that wait 'til spring maxim bore a little more weight since a high wind would more likely damage the shingles before they were sealed. Now, the more commonly used dimensional shingles are more blow-off proof. In most cases, all it takes is a sunny day regardless of the temperature and the shingles are sealed.
The other concern is nail blow through of the cold brittle shingles. Proper gun setting/operation will solve that. If the shingler can't keep from blowing through them when it's cold, it's not likely he'll do much better when it's hot and the shingles are soft.
http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Grant,
I pick my battles, LOL.If possible- I will go out and do a repair for someone who REALLY needs it----- but I am saving those few good days of weather for those people.
On the other hand---in my career I don't think I have EVER encountered someone who needed an entire roof replacement project-----------who had not ALSO had plenty of advance warning. WE both know that roofs generally don't go bad in the blink of an Eye.So-- i don't feel obligated to go out and climb on somebodies snow covered,icy roof---because THEY failed to plan ahead. Of course the folks who want you to climb up there in the snow----ALSO ask about a "discount" since "this is your slow period"--snort!Got my leaves done this A.M---so i am going to go squeeze some bicycle miles in after lunch.
stephen
A roofing contractor who is used to doing it and has a good rep can do as well in winter as not, IMO. There are things to be carefull of, but 40° is not that cold.
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TWG,
I am a roofing contractor in Akron, Ohio----so I imagine my climate is quite similar to yours.
Can the roof be done almost year round ?-Yes
SHOULD the roof be done year round????--- I would vote overwhelmingly NO ----absolutely not.
As a policy--we don't do complete roof replacements after mid Nov. untill late March----specifically---- this season I won't do a complete roof replacement from this point in the year untill April 6, 2009.
the way I see it--- If I do a roof, I want to do it the best I possibly can--and personally--- I know I am not going to do my best work on a roof during the winter.
will the shingles seal down???- maybe-or maybe not.
I will offer my own house up as an example
I have a sun room with a 4/12 pitch facing south.--- last november I tore off a layer of shingles, a layer of plywood,2 inches of insul board and a layer of slate.-Repaired the decking, installed icegaurd and 50 year/lifetime shingles.---- Those SOUTH facing shingles sealed down----but the EAST facing shingles I installed on an adjacent section of roof have never sealed down( I just checked them yesterday while cleaning out the gutters)-------that is--in over a year they haven't sealed down.
sure--like most roofers I have various tricks I can use to make roofing feasible in a wide range of conditions-----but those tricks don't really promote the best results.
this is one of the rare instances where I am going to have to disagree with Grant. In my opinion-- if your roof is in solid enough condition to wait untill spring---you should definitely wait untill then.
I feel quite strongly about this-----since Friday i have sold 2 roof projects which are scheduled for April AND turned down a STRONG referall for a package deal to do 12 roofs. I don't need money bad enough to spend the winter crawling around on somebody elses snow covered and icy roofs because THEY couldn't plan ahead.
Best wishes to you-----do yourself a favor and wait untill spring.
Stephen
this is one of the rare instances where I am going to have to disagree with Grant.
Stephen, we don't really disagree. I can only speak for my climate and that's how I base my answers. Between now and April, we'll have some below zero days and we'll have about as many sunny 50+ degree days. We pick our days.
Late Jan and Feb are tough months to shingle here, but the other months we'll get some good days. And with heavyweights like you used on your house, I don't think it makes a great deal of difference if they ever seal or not if the nails aren't blown through.
Also, while we do a lot of shingling, it's not the main focus of my business. So when I say we work all winter, we do flashing or standing seam or something else when it's too cold to shingle. http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
And you're right about it being better to wait. Some can't though.
It's been pretty dry around here for months. If it doesn't rain, roofs don't leak. I'm sure I'll get some calls with the next rain that are panic attacks. They put it off through good weather ('cause it wasn't leaking), but they're gonna sustain some interior damage if they don't move on it before Spring.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Have to disagree with some of the others, here in MN when it is below 50 for most of the %%^$ year we shingle. In the past 10 yrs when construction was booming and new divisions were going up everywhere do you think they waited until spring to roof the homes? NO, You can roof even in sub zero temperatures if your subs know what they are doing. The biggest thing is to check out your sub very carefully and dont take the lowest bid, would you take the lowest bid for lets say a heart transplant, no? your home is usually the biggest investment you will ever have treat it as if it is a part of your body.
sotabuilder,I don't think I would want to be in a position where I was citing how roofs are installed in new subdivisions as an indication of quality practices.From my observations--the exact opposite is more apt to be true.
I also note----builders in those subdivisions typically warranty the homes they built for 1 year--which is shorter than what most of us warranty out roof work for---so again-new construction practices are hardly optimal.there is a subdivision a few minutes from my home-----I drive past it on the highway several times a week--------and I have been replacing blown off shingles in that subdivision spring and fall for at least 12 years----this was a subdivision roofed in the winter---and when you drive past it on the highway during a good wind you can see those shingles flapping like venetian blinds. What I THINK happens is----a shingle layed in cold weather may not seal----and all winter long the solvents in the adhesive strip are drying out and the strip is loosing it's "grab" bit by bit.
come warm weather-----it MAY seal down--particularly on south or west slopes---but on North or shaded slopes---maybe----or maybe not. I am guessing those roofs in Minnesota were laid NOT with an eye for what would be the best long term results----but what would allow the house to be drywalled,finished and sold ASAP Best wishes,
stephen
All good points, however we have never shyed away from roofing anytime of year here in MN. It is the crew you pick to do the job that matters the most, not when they are installed.