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Replacing Your Roof In Winter

Replacing Your Roof In The Winter

Replacing Your Roof In The Winter

Calgary during the winter months can reach freezing temperatures. Many homeowners have asked whether or not replacing a roof during the winter is viable due to the extreme temperatures that Calgary and Alberta are prone to experiencing.

The answer to this question varies. Especially, when it comes to the type of roof your structure has and the material you would like installed on it.

In this article, we will go over the pros and cons of roofing in cold weather, and if you should go down this route. Sometimes it’s better to wait till the warmer spring or summer months to get your job done. But that isn’t always the case!

The Dangers Winter Poses To Your Roof

Dangers Winter Poses Roof

Winter can be quite unforgiving, especially in Calgary. Older roofs run the risk of damaged shingles cracking under the pressure of heavy loads of snow, and ice dams are a constant danger. If your roof wasn’t properly installed, this can lead to massive leaks and internal damage.

Let’s go over what these dangers are in more detail and how you can avoid them altogether.

Damaged Shingles

If your roof has been previously damaged due to things such as hail, your roof’s shingles can end up cracking. This is due to the brittleness of the shingles in the cold. 

Once temperatures hit below freezing, the shingles begin to become brittle. Because of this, any previously damaged shingles will crack under the pressure of the added weight of heavy snow loads.

If your home hasn’t been affected by a severe hail storm and doesn’t require an emergency roof replacement, you are probably in the clear. However, older homes are at an increased chance of risk of shingles cracking and breaking under these heavy snow loads.

If you are unsure if your roof is capable of withstanding the cold winter months, it may be time to get a roof inspection from a certified expert.

Ice Dams

Ice Dams are a danger that should always be addressed when a roofing company is installing your new roof. Ice Dams occur when the heat that is escaping from the roof melts snow and the water runs down the roof, eventually freezing near the eave's trough. 

When Ice Dams run out of room, the ice begins to work its way underneath the shingles, and if there are any damaged shingles it can cause quite a bit of damage. Once the ice works its way under the shingles, the possibility of them cracking is extremely high.

Ice Dams are a huge threat to roofs that are not properly done right or have been severely damaged. In some special circumstances where the roof can handle some extra weight, you can have a waterproof shingle underlayment (WSU) installed to help prevent Ice Dams.

Be warned, however, these types of repair jobs can lead to premature aging of your shingles. Talk to a roofing expert that knows what they are doing when taking on a repair job like this.

Repairing Different Roof Types In Cold Weather

Repairing Different Types Roof Winter

The type of roof your structure has determines the type of material used to complete the repair job. In this section, we will go over the different types of roof materials and what you should look out for during the winter months.

Sloped Roof Repair Jobs In Winter

Sloped roofs are usually done with asphalt shingles, and most people think that you cannot install these types of roofing materials in the winter due to the freezing temperatures. However, this is wrong.

Installing asphalt shingles during winter requires some extra care from the worker as well as some added finesse. The worker will still use adhesives to seal the shingles to the roof but each seal must be hand-sealed individually. This requires an experienced and qualified team to complete or else you run the risk of additional leaks.

On top of all this, asphalt shingles can become extremely brittle in the cold. If the worker applies too much pressure when nailing it down, it can result in the shingle cracking or breaking.

So while it is not impossible to install a new roof in the winter months, it requires a professional team of experts that know what they are doing to get the job done right. Call Fortress Roofing and Exteriors If you need a winter roofing job completed. We can provide the right amount of expertise to get the job done on time and within your budget.

Flat Roof Repair Jobs In Winter

If your structure has a flat roof you will more than likely be using a Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO) or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) roofing material to complete your repair job. These materials allow for hot-air weldable seams that give the roof extra strength when dealing with all kinds of weather hazards.

Typically, these materials are only used in industrial roofing projects.

Metal Roofing Repair Jobs In Winter

If your structure has a metal roof or you would like a metal roof installed this is a much easier process than the previously mentioned materials. Metal roofing jobs only require that a breathable moisture underlayment be applied before the installation of the metal materials.

Conclusion

Replacing your roof in the winter isn’t always an easy task. It requires a level of expertise that can only be found within the best roofing companies. Especially in Calgary where we face some of the harshest winter conditions. The team at Fortress Roofing and Exteriors specializes in everything roofing, and even with all these challenges mentioned above, we can help with your winter roof repair.

Give us a call today to talk about receiving a quote or planning your winter roof repair job.