Winter Roof Repairs

When starting renovations or repairs on your home, most homeowners opt to get the repairs done during the spring or summer. However, in many cases, you can get emergency repairs to your roof done during the wintertime. If you find damage to your roof during the winter do not despair, there are steps that can be taken to reduce damage to your home.

One common repair that roofers do during the wintertime is interior leak protection. Typically small tarps, called pig tarps, are put into place to catch the water from a leak so it can be safely directed down a drain. These can be put into place for the duration of the repair, or even for the rest of the season. It depends on if the cause of the leak can be safely repaired during the wintertime.

One technique that roofers will use to make repairs to a roof in the winter is tenting or using a tent to keep out the weather while repairs are being completed. The professionals will be able to heat the tent to help the materials set properly when the temperature is low outside. This may be a good solution if the repair is especially complicated or lengthy in duration.

The roofing professionals may have special techniques they use to help set materials in low temperatures without needing to use a tent. For example, a rubberized liquid product that will not contract in the cold weather. Hot tar may be used to seal gaps or to help keep materials together. These materials may cost more than their summertime counterparts.

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The most common type of winter roof repair is simply removing ice dams or built-up snow from the roof. Flat roofs are more likely to build ice dams than pitched roofs because the moisture cannot escape. Ice dams can cause significant damage and moisture can add to the problem. It’s important to keep your roof, especially a flat roof, clear from excessive snow and ice accumulation.

Winter repairs on a roof should only be made if necessary. These repairs may cost more than those done in the warmer months and are more dangerous. Unpredictable weather patterns may affect your roof repairs, especially in the wintertime. As mentioned, certain materials act differently depending on the temperature. It can take a lot of troubleshooting to make the materials as effective as they would be if installed during the warmer months.

The most cost effective way to have your roof repaired in the winter is to only repair what cannot wait for spring time to arrive, and then have the rest of the repairs done once the snow and ice melt. If you’d like to avoid the cost of having your roof repaired in the winter, it’s a great idea to get your flat roof inspected before the season begins. Flat roofs are particularly prone to issues in the winter so it’s always a good idea to have a pre-winter inspection done, even if you haven’t noticed any problems.