In a perfect world, you would only need shingles replaced or installed when it’s bright, warm, and sunny outside and the work can be completed quickly and efficiently without having to worry about icky, icy, snowy winter weather. But the cold reality is that shingles sometimes need to be replaced or installed in the winter. So, is this something roofing companies in Royal Oak can do? Here’s what you need to know about shingle installation during the not-so-nice months in Royal Oak.
The Short Answer Is ‘Yes’
As long as any accumulated snow is manually removed or it melts naturally, a roof can be installed during the cooler months of the year. Also, if a stretch of sunny days is predicted in Royal Oak, installation can be a smooth, orderly process. Roofing companies can further tackle winter-related challenges by properly covering and storing roofing materials. The only significant limitation is that shingles may not fully seal from the heat of the sun until it gets consistently warmer and sunnier.
How Winter Roof Installation Is Handled
The roof installation process is pretty much the same regardless of what time of year it is. The first step is to inspect your roof to determine the full extent of the problem. In some cases, existing shingles can be covered up with new ones. This is called re-roofing. Other times, however, the entire roof will need to be replaced, especially if you’ve had other re-roofs in the past since there are limits with how many shingle layers can be on a roof.
With asphalt shingles, caution needs to be taken to prevent cracking or bending as the shingles are applied. There also has to be a proper seal between overlapping shingles to prevent water from getting into the underlying parts of the roof. As mentioned above, asphalt shingles need heat from the sun to bond. This means there is a chance that some shingles may leak, become loose, or blow off. However, some winters do have warmer, sunnier days, so it is possible for enough bonding to take place to keep things secure until warmer months roll around again.
Precautions That Can Be Taken
The main precaution roofing companies typically take with winter roof installations is keeping the roof clear of snow and ice. This usually involves placing tarp on the roof when work isn’t being done. Still, if there are days when the weather is really bad, further work may need to be postponed until things clear up. This being said, reputable roofing professionals usually make every effort to complete roof replacements or installations in a way that’s as efficient as possible even when the weather isn’t all that great.
What to Keep In Mind
Roofers do work all year, so they are normally perfectly capable of installing shingles in all seasons. Even so, realize that the installation process may take a bit longer than it would if it were being done in the spring, summer, or early fall before colder weather sets in. A reputable roofing contractor will also be upfront with you about possible issues with sealing the shingles because of a lack of sufficient heat from the sun. However, a trustworthy company will also let you know what can be done to minimize risks once your new shingles are installed.
Ultimately, wintertime is not the ideal time to have shingles installed on your Royal Oak roof. But there are steps experienced roofing companies can take to complete roofing work like this when it’s colder and the weather isn’t all that great. It’s also not a good idea to put off roof work if you do have serious roof-related issues that will likely only get worse if you wait until spring arrives in Royal Oak.