Dealing With a Leaky Winter Roof
Old roofs hate cold winter months. Shingles curl, crack and break under the weight of wet, heavy snow. Add in high winds from Nor'Easters and some of those shingles will simply fly away. Ice dams form as snow melts and refreezes. All that snowing, blowing, melting and refreezing can take a roof from marginal to leaky before the warm weather arrives. This leads to a common question raised by homeowners: Can a roof be repaired or replaced in the winter?
The short answer is yes. The longer answer has several buts associated with it. Yes, you can replace a roof during the winter but you'll want to be very sure you're working with a reputable roofer contractor with experience in winter installations. Shingles and underlayment can become more brittle in cold temperatures. Hand nailing is preferred to nail guns in temperatures below 30 degrees. Your roofer should not remove more shingles than can be replaced on any given work day. If you're having trouble with ice dam formation, your roofer should be able to install drip-edge flashing to help prevent future dams from forming. It should be noted that insufficient attic insulation can also be a contributing factor in ice dams as are poorly draining gutters. It should be noted that new shingles need to undergo thermal sealing which requires four days or more of 40 degree or warmer weather. Most shingle manufacturers recommend that their product be installed at temperatures of 26 degrees or warmer and recommend extra precautions during installation. That being said, the shingles carry the same warranty no matter what time of year they are installed. A reputable roofing company should offer the same labor warranty that they would offer during the spring. Roofing is a seasonal business and roofing companies will typically try to keep their best workers employed if they can rather than lay them off in hopes of rehiring later. Some companies may offer a steep discount for a roof installed in the winter so this could work to your advantage.
