Is it ok to put a new roof on in the winter?

How Does Winter Weather Affect Roofing?

The roof is one of your home’s most vulnerable areas. Not only does it shield the home from the different types of weather our area experiences, but it also protects the contents inside. A correctly installed roof will protect your home from the elements, but it will also be the first to be impacted by them.

Can You Replace a Roof in the Winter?

There are challenges that come with installing a roof in cold weather, but it is still a perfectly suitable season to replace your roof. However, your roofing contractor may need to wait until the weather is warm enough to schedule an installation date.

Asphalt shingles can be placed successfully in cold weather if a few key adjustments are made to standard procedures:

• Roof shingles must stay warm. Ensuring roofing shingles are heated before installing them is important. Until they are delivered to the homeowner, keep them in a warm garage or warehouse.
• Seal the shingles properly. It’s critical to apply the right shingle sealing process in the winter. Most roofing shingles have a thermally activated asphalt sealer. This method uses sunlight to adhere the shingles to the roof, and it can take many weeks for the shingles to fully attach.

The correct amount of sunlight and ambient heat may not be available when your roof is installed, so your roofer may elect to hand-seal the shingles with roofing cement or other adhesives. 

Installing Shingles in Cold Weather

When it comes to roofing in cold weather, there are numerous obstacles to overcome:

• The shingles themselves are the first challenge when installing asphalt shingles on your roof. In cold weather, asphalt shingles lose part of their flexibility, and cutting them is tricky. In addition, a pneumatic gun’s ability to drive nails into the roof is affected by both the asphalt shingles’ temperature and the humidity in the air. During the winter, over-driving or under-driving fasteners is common. When the temperature gets cooler, the pneumatic gun’s pressure settings for warm weather need adjusting. 

• Another concern with roofing in cold weather is the use of sealants to keep the shingles affixed to the roof. Sealer keeps the asphalt shingles together and prevents the wind from lifting them. Additionally, heat and sunshine are used to activate sealants and cold weather prevents sealers from activating right away. In fact, not activating until spring is a possibility. Because of this, winter blow-offs may wreak havoc on roofing shingles. This is reduced by hand-sealing the individual shingles. However, it takes more labor and could raise the roofing cost.

• When it comes to roofing materials, keep in mind that shingles are less flexible in colder temperatures, so don’t store them in places where the bundles will get bent or deformed. If possible, keep them flat until they’re needed.

What Temperature Do Shingles Seal?

Shingles will not seal till they reach a temperature of around 70 degrees. The temperature of the roof can be raised by heating the interior of the home and attic airflow. The heat of the roof can also be affected by the sun. Solar radiance heats the shingles even if temperatures are much colder, so it doesn’t have to be 70 degrees out.

Best Temperature to Install Roof Shingles

It would be ideal to roof on a warm and sunny day. Unfortunately, clear skies and pleasant temperatures aren’t in the forecast every day. A certified roofing contractor has the expertise, experience, and equipment to do their work even when roofing in cold weather.

Regardless, temperatures between 70 and 80° F (21-27° C) are ideal for roof construction. 

Manufacturer Specifications for Cold

It really is too chilly for roofing in cold weather when temperatures fall below 40° F (4° C). Many roofing materials have adhesive properties that require the sun’s heat to activate. You can wind up with a faulty roof installation if you don’t pay attention to the outside temperature. When the temperature drops below 40° F, the likelihood of a warranty being canceled rises.

Recommendations for Heat

It’s also possible for it to be too hot to properly install and seal shingles. Roof temperatures beyond 100° F, according to most manufacturers, make the sealant too soft and the shingles unstable. Soft sealant won’t harden right away and the tiles can shift if walked on or disturbed by tools.

Need a Roofing Contractor? Contact the Professionals at Quality Exteriors Today!

The team at PROVIDENCE ROOFING is always available to lend a helping hand. We serve the foothills and mountains of NORTH CAROLINA. With offices in BOONE, HICKORY, STATESVILLE, and HUNTERSVILLE NC we are ready to provide a FREE ESTIMATE for your roofing needs. CALL us today at 704 883-6052 or check us out at Providence Roofing