Roofing in the Winter Months
Some people delay to a make roof repairs, replacement, or improvements until it reaches a point and you realize you cannot ignore it anymore. Maybe an event like fire or storm happens or you just discover that the problem needs your special attention.
Winter in many parts of the world is seen as not a good time for roofing services like repairs and replacement and it is true. Winter is definitely not a perfect time for roofing activities but it cannot always be avoided. When an emergency hits, it does not matter if it is summer or winter, you will need to fix your roof.
Winter is not always as bad as most people try to make it look like. It is very possible to repair or replace your roof as long as you get an experienced roofer who is good at what he does. It does not cost you much to replace the roof by the way, it is more of the same as doing roofing at any other time of the year. And as matter of fact some roofing contractors’ offers discounts for winter roofing deals. Actually, roofing during the winter has some advantages to the homeowners.
Advantages of Winter Roofing
You don’t have to delay getting your roof replaced or repaired just coz it is winter. Delaying the work only makes things worse for you as a homeowner and you can end up using way more money if you wait until spring.
To start with, if your roof is leaking, you are going to use way more money on energy bills. A leaking roof is definitely not a roof that is energy efficient and the quicker you fix the leak the faster you will stop using more money on energy bills. Some homeowners find it easier to replace or repair roof during the winter and it as we already highlighted, it can even be cheaper.
This is because the roofers are mostly available as most people don’t think it is possible to do roofing during the winter. This means the roofers will have less busy schedules and will be able to concentrate on your roof alone and the job can done faster. Take advantage of the fact that it is an off peak season for the roofer and get quotes from different contractors until you get the best deal.
Considerations for Winter Roofing
The ability to successfully complete the roofing project can be impacted by different things one of the things being the weather conditions and the pitch of the roof as well as the material of the roof. The areas that have the heaviest snows are the most challenging but professional roofers are aware of anything that might limit them and they also know the best materials to use when. To understand more about this, check out some of the considerations for different types of roofs.
Flat Roofs
As we have already established, the pitch of your roof is very important. The flat roofs are mostly used for commercial roofs and when it comes to winter roofing, they might be harder to access. The flat roofs are mostly made of EPDM rubber and it is recommended that it is installed at a temperature of about 40 degrees of about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and above.
The cold weather of winter makes it difficult for the adhesives that are normally used for the flat roofs to bond perfectly. However, it does not mean that it is not possible to replace the roof during the winter. We can work around the situation and still be able to help your out. We will determine the perfect roof for your commercial building work with great care and your roof will function perfectly just like a roof installed in any other time of the year.
Sloped Roofs
The slopped roof will allow the runoff of water and snow. It is important to note that the angle of the roof can affect how fast the roof can shed the snow. There are many considerations when it comes to the materials for the roofs such as:
Asphalt Shingles – When it comes to the slopped roofs, asphalt shingles is the most common material. It is recommended that the asphalt shingles to be installed at a temperature of 40 degrees and above for them to bond perfectly but it is still possible to install the roof even at lower temperatures but the roofer needs to be extremely careful with that.
Tile Roofs – The concrete tiles roofs are capable of handling large temperature swings. The air pockets in the roof allows it to breathe and they cannot crack even in extreme temperatures. This means that the concrete tiles roofs can be installed any time of the year. However, it might be very difficult to install the roof when the temperature is below the freezing point as the sealants needs a higher temperature for them to dry properly.
Metal Roofing – Metal can also be used for sloped roofs. It can be copper, zinc, steel or aluminum. The metal roofs do not use the adhesives so the low temperatures that comes along with the winter will not affect the process of installation in any way. As a matter of fact, metal roofing is the perfect idea during the winter.
Safety Precautions during Installation
The roofer of your house needs to be very careful while repairing or replacing the roof. A lot of people have suffered serious injuries trying to fix problems on the roofs. It is also very important to assess the weather carefully and if the weather does not seem to be very favorable, then the work needs to be stopped and wait for safer conditions.
If you want to your roof installed at a time like this, you can count on us. We have all the equipment required to handle this tough situations and we have been doing this for quite some time.
In Awe Roofing Limited is an Award-Winning, family owned and operated Vancouver Roofing Contractor with over 17 years of roofing experience. We serve the entire Lower Mainland area, from Whistler to Chilliwack, employing a team of professional staff members. Our team has won numerous awards including Best of Homestars for the last five years, and Three Best Rated six years in a row. Learn more
