Is It Warm Enough For New Roof Yet?

propertyone

Hi Guys,
I live in Ma and need to put a new roof on a house I am fixing up. It has two layers so it will need to be stripped. Temps for next week or going to be in the 40's. Think I should hold off for warmer weather or just do it.
Thanks

WarnerConstInc.

I did 3 over the winter, they all sealed good and didnt have any problems even with a few 50+ MPH wind storms, soon after they were installed.

propertyone

Did you use sealant or a heat gun to seal them?

MJW

LOL, this question always strikes me funny.

Did probably 20 roofs so far this winter, and hundreds in the past years. Never had a problem. Once you get above 32 degrees you just have more worries about rain.

They seal as soon as the sun hits them in the spring. We had some this winter that sealed soon after putting them on.

WarnerConstInc.

Heat gun??



It was a microwave without the door.

All it takes is a little sun, and yes the random winter rain storm makes me more nervous.

Patrick

We are finishing up the 2nd of two roofs we did this week here in western MA

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

davitk

no you should not ever roof in the 40's, I have a standing policy that I will not set foot on a roof until the mercury hits 90. Added bonus is it keeps me off the roof 99% of the year

I vote for the 24 volt heat gun.

mdshunk

I had 8 roofs put on this winter. No problems.

RooferJim

We are in Massachusetts and have been insalling roofs all winter. I have several jobs going right now and are stocking several this week "before the big price increase". I would rather take the summers off if I could get away with it :0)

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com

Jake Stevens

We roof all winter. When the mercury hits 80 we won't roof.

Grumpy

We won't roof below freezing, and preferrably below 40. The manufacturers don't say not to roof but my past experiences say not to roof. I personally feel anyone roofing below freezing is gambling with their customers roofs, and I won't do that.

But we have this conversation 2 or 3 times a year.

MrRoofer

If your crew has any sort of real experience with winter roofing, it shouldn't be a problem.

I think it also depends on where your shingles are manufactured. The IKO plant here in Calgary uses a different method and a different mix of materials in their product to help facilitate winter installs, because the work doesn't stop when the flakes start flyin.

The most important thing is that the shingles are nailed properly.

We did three showhomes side by side by side back in November, two of which suffered wind damage in December when it was beyond -30 celsius and howling wind for a week or two. The shingles that blew off were poorly nailed, the third roof held entirely. It was a different crew on the third roof, locals who know how to put a roof on in a colder climate.

It can be done, but should only be done by those that really know how. I think shingle technology has come a long way and helps to cover a lot of arse when it comes to workmanship. Strip shingles are essentially one tabs-meaning a lot less for the wind to grab, also the sealing strips seem to be functional at lower temperatures than they used to be. I have seen a few new poorly nailed roofs that are holding under some nasty downdrafts (100km+)out of the foothills to the rocky mountains here, mostly because the shingles have all glued themselves together. Ten years ago that would not have been the case.

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'I'm living on the edge!'

Mike Hancock

Hey I have installed many shingle roofs in weather below 40 degrees and I have never had a call back.I roofed in Michigan for many years.What everyone worries about is the shingle not sealing down before the wind has a chance to blow it off.I don't think a heat gun is a bad idea but could be very time consuming on a big roof.You could also use a propane torch with a rose bud tip basically what they use for torch down roofing.Either way when doing this it is important not to burn or discolor the shingle just heat it enough to get a seal.Idealy in a perfect world you would wait for warm weather but it can be done.

Just a Roofer

I agree it can be done, i have before but usually looks like crap until a nice sunny day & warmer. Nails may just blast right through with a gun if it's too cold.

Micvanlen

I'm a GC in Calgary and it's tough to get much roofing done in the winter, but it's possible. My rule of thumb is safety and leave it up to the crew to decide. Generally, we'll do jobs in the sholder seasons and only small projects in the thick of winter if at all.

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