Cold Weather

osborn

For the roofers in cold areas. What is too cold to shingle? My roofer has been dragging a 2 day job out 2 weeks. He says his guys wont work in 20 degree weather. I called another guy out to look at another house and he said he could do it next week when it gets in the 30s. Im just curious if you guys quit when its cold out.

Ed the Roofer

It depends on how busy we are or at what stage of progress the roof job status is at and what the safety hazards are.

If we already started it and got hit by a cold snap, then, if the temperatures will be warm enough, we will proceed.

There is always another hungrier SOB willing to say they can do what we can not. That is not the point though. If it is not in a state of being damaged due to the weather, then what's the problem?

Personal experience, 38 degrees and overcast is colder than 25 degrees and sunny, as far as comfort factor and shingle flexibility. This does not even factor in the wind chil conditions.

Are you offering them any extra money to work in the below productive workable temperatures to compensate for the slower time to do the installation.

Ed

Is there any snow or ice conditions which create a hazordous working condition. Even frost on a minimaly sloped roof can make a man fall and hurt himself or worse, die.

Shingle Monkey

Depends on how hungry I am, i have removed snow so I could shingle.

Now i sit here glad to have the cold excuse to not get off my arse.

It seems below 20 is the limit for my compressor and guns.

Roofboy

Ten below in Anchorage, Alaska.

Hitachi nail guns work great in freezing temperatures. We also use Rol-Air gas compressors.


Keith

roofwiz74

I've gotten lucky this year in NW Indiana,Our winter has been mild up until a week ago.I don't like to work when it's too cold,but if someone was to sweeten the pot I'd be there.
I almost always hand nail when its extremely cold.

I have also shoveled snow off to shingle.When I was a kid we would use ISO board as a plow to clean off flat roofs we were doing.I even went sledding on a roof before.It was 14 acres of flat with just as many differant systems on it.

__________________
You have ONE advantage over me.....you can kiss my butt and I can't!!

pitbull

whatever is comfortable and safe. But I hate the heat. Im 1 of the odd 1s that in summer I work inside and winter outside if I can.

AaronB.

Shingle mfg's caN VOID THEIUR WARRANTY IF INSTALLED BEL,OE A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE. I dont like to lose on the low prouction rates of winter.

If your roofer is legit, he could have their unemployment discontinued if they refuse to work....that is IF he is legit.

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Seamless Industrial and Commercial Roofing Systems, Residential Repair. For Those That Demand Quality!
Free roof inspections within 12 miles of our locale.

Ed the Roofer

I have not specifically read that the manufacturer can void their warranty due to the temperatures at application time. What I have read, is that certain precautions must be taken when dealing with colder application temperatures.

Possibly, Aaron, you intended to point out that certain application problems may occurr during cold weather installations, and if they do occurr, then that is not covered by the manufacturers warranty. Items such as fractured shingles, lack of proper sealing, and under/overdriven fasteners due to compressor irregularities of the psi.


Ed

AaronB.

Some say it so much more eloquently than I.

I am going too fast, trying to catch up on a couple months worth of posts. Thanks.

__________________
http://www.roseroofing.net/
Seamless Industrial and Commercial Roofing Systems, Residential Repair. For Those That Demand Quality!
Free roof inspections within 12 miles of our locale.

Ed the Roofer

Aaron,

I noticed that you have not been around since I signed up in mid-December. I folowed your and Grumpys posts, since you were both local to my company.

I work around the Elgin, Dundee, Carpentersvile, and Algonquin area, exclusively.

Ed

AaronB.

No chit? I did the Enterprise Rent A car at Santa's village. Not the optimal system, but it works.

__________________
http://www.roseroofing.net/
Seamless Industrial and Commercial Roofing Systems, Residential Repair. For Those That Demand Quality!
Free roof inspections within 12 miles of our locale.

Ed the Roofer

Santas Village went out of business this year. Auctioned off all of the removeable goodies this past October.

Does anybody need 2, 12 foot tall candy canes or a 20 foot tall fiberglass Santa Claus, by the way?

Ed

Tom M

HMMMMM Overdriven fasteners, shingles shatter and break on cold mournings then scuff in warm afternoons. The manufacturer give a range of temp that would put roofers out of business working in too hot or to cold conditions. You have to do what you have to do sometimes even if that means shoveling off that tarp or area to install. As far as duration of time to complete. Think about it for a minute either the guys are working 2 or 3 days a week in bad weather and making no money or cash 2 or 3 days and collecting unemployment. There is no motivation to get up on cold icy ladders unless you have no unemployment or other work.

Ed the Roofer

The primary or only motivation for me to have work done in these less than desireable conditions, would be if we had already started the project, there was a potential liability from leak damage, (yes, we felt, I & W shield, and tarp up every single evening), or there was just such a small amount remaining to be done so as not to hold up the final payment.

Otherwise, it is not worth it.

Ed

AaronB.

Problem being the best roofers do not make the best businessmen, and often fail to plan ahead.

__________________
http://www.roseroofing.net/
Seamless Industrial and Commercial Roofing Systems, Residential Repair. For Those That Demand Quality!
Free roof inspections within 12 miles of our locale.

Tom M

all I want to see is asses and elbows

Ed the Roofer

Well I am here now, so all we need are some elbows.

Ed

Tom M

Roofing is almost like a sport. LOL You have to hustle and be durable its any season, all body, all the time.

RooferJim

The bills come all year so we roof all year. there are tricks of the trade for cold weather as there are for hot.
when it gets real cold you just got to hustle more.

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com

MJW

EXACTLY!!

We did shut down yesterday till about tuesday next week. It isn't going to get above 5 F. Mornings have been -10 or lower.

As for the topic question......those same guys not working, you could probably find them out ice fishing...........