Is it a good idea to re-roof in the winter?
Common sense says you shouldn't be removing shingles in bad weather -- that would just expose the sheathing and allow more leaks. But, if you've got a leak, what are you supposed to do about it? Do roofers even work in the winter? You don't see many roofs being done, that's for sure. The safety of the workers who are up on the roof is a big concern. It's obviously more dangerous to work on a roof in snow and ice and wind. But professional roofers do work in the winter, and in an emergency situation they'll come out and at least get you a solution that will hold you until better weather. But remember, if you have a leak, a tarp will get you through, but it is a Band-aid solution. You've got to get to the root of the problem when spring comes.
Roofing materials should be applied in optimum conditions, so roofers pay attention to temperature and amount of moisture in the air. If you look at an asphalt shingle, there is an adhesion strip along the nailing edge. That's obviously going to do its job better when the weather isn't too cold for the glue to work properly. The lion's share of the work is done by the nails that hold the shingle to the roof, but that adhesion strip helps.
Traditional torch down membrane for flat roofs have to be done on a day with low humidity, or it bubbles and fish-mouths and doesn't adhere properly. There are now cold-applied products that can be used to repair leaks in the winter months. Of course, you've still got the problem of locating the source of the leak.
The best course of action -- if you aren't 100 per cent sure where the leak is -- is to shovel off the snow, tarp your roof and wait for better weather.
If you have a problem, like a massive ice dam, but there's no leak yet, there will be eventually. Get ahead of the problem. Take photos of it. Contact the roofer and make an appointment for them to come out and do the repair when the weather improves.
Whatever you do, don't go up on the roof yourself. It's not safe and it's not smart. Call in a pro. They'll know what to do, what to look for, where to trace the leak. They'll remove the snow. They may break an ice dam away, but they know how to do it without damaging your shingles and sheathing or your gutters and soffits.
Just don't ignore the problem -- it won't go away. Sure, the leak may stop once the snow has melted, but it'll be back next year. And, the more damage that's allowed to happen, the more it will cost to repair.
It's like when you've got a slow leak in your car tire. You know there's a nail stuck in it, but what you do is keep refilling the tire instead of replacing it. That solution will work for a while, but in the end your tire will just blow.
Catch Mike in his new series, Holmes Inspection, airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV. For more information, visit www.hgtv.ca.For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca
