The cliché of old-timers talking about the snowfalls of yesteryear rings particularly true to roofers. We spend our working days outdoors, so we feel summer’s heat and winter’s chill more than many Missourians. Being in the roofing business since 1980 has allowed us to experience some of Kansas City’s most…memorable…snowfalls, like the 10 inches that fell overnight in January, 1993. People ask us all the time, is winter residential roof repair even possible?
Three-Quarter Time
If we did not accept jobs during the winter, we would only work three-quarters of the year. We work year-round, in all types of weather. Let’s be clear—amateurs have no business on roofs in poor weather. You risk slipping, falling and damaging your roof. Professional roofers with decades of experience know their limits and know how to work on a roof in nearly any weather. So, yes, we can perform residential roof repair in winter.
Golden Roofing Time
The golden days of summer are ideal for asphalt-fiberglass shingle work. The shingle’s adhesive seal softens under the sun’s warmth and bonds to the shingle beneath. On warm spring and fall days, too, we can quickly and safely perform residential roof repair on shingles and metal roofing. We can replace a small area or an entire roof in short order as long as the roof gets some sunlight and heat.
Winter, however, is more challenging. In some cases, the roof must be replaced in the cold months, or your home faces permanent and costly damage. So we simply have to work more cleverly in winter:
- A cluster of warm, clear days may be enough to get residential roof repair done, squeezed in between snows and low temperatures
- In a pinch, it is possible to add adhesive to each tab to hold your asphalt shingle in place until warmer weather softens the shingle’s adhesive
- The nail, not the adhesive, does most of the holding (although the adhesive helps create a necessary seal)
Your Kansas City home’s roof is around 10 degrees warmer than ground temperatures, and is usually a bit warmer than the air. That slight difference is sometimes enough to warm up shingles so the adhesive functions properly.
Down Time
Some winter conditions prevent residential roof repair. Active snowstorms or dangerous ice conditions will halt all roofing projects. Balance the need for a quick repair with the more ideal option of waiting for the sun’s warmth to return in the spring.
Residential Roof Repair in Kansas City
For help with your residential roof repair projects in the Kansas City area, contact Bill West Roofing. We are happy to help with your roofing tasks and questions!
