Cold Weather Roof Installation

As temperatures begin to drop, many homeowners express concern about the approaching winter weather conditions. This may not be considered the most ideal season to coordinate roof installs in Oklahoma, yet in this season it will be necessary. With the impact of spring and summer storms many homes will still need a new roof when the cooler months roll in. Certain roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles and some flat roofing materials have special temperature requirements. It is essential to understand industry best practice and what products are most favorable for cold weather installment. Elliott Roofing production continues throughout the year by working around the weather forecast and by installing our roofs to meet manufacturer specifications for cold weather application.

Asphalt shingles are the most popular and common roofing material used for residential properties in the U.S. Many shingle manufactures are hesitant and wisely avoid giving magic formulas for winter installations. The manufactures biggest concern in low temperature environments is the possibility of the adhesive strip not activating due to low roof surface temperatures.  Ideally asphalt shingles should be installed when temperatures outside reach 40 degrees or higher. Most shingles are manufactured with a factory-applied strip of thermally activated sealant. Direct exposure to the sun’s energy activates the sealant, allowing shingles to bond to the underlayment or course below. Several factors impact the activation time of the sealant, including but not limited to geographic location, roof slope, roof orientation (relative to the direction of the sun), and the average daily outdoor temperature during and after installation. Shingles installed in cold weather, may not immediately seal until warmer temperatures are present for the sealant to activate.

Homeowners need to be aware that asphalt shingles, when installed in the winter, can look bumpy and wavy on the roof. All newly installed asphalt shingles have a break-in period. During this break-in period, the shingles will lose some rigidity and form a ‘seal’. During the warmer months the “break in period” is very quick due to the elasticity of the shingles.  In the colder months, the asphalt shingles are less malleable and will reflect the shape of the shingles when they are packaged, bundled and stacked on the roof. It may take several months of radiant heat and UV exposure for the shingles to lay down flat on the roofs surface.  This is standard and it will not impact the serviceability or performance of the shingle. Remember that the shingles will look bumpy, wavy or some even say they “look wrong” when the asphalt shingles are cold.  We agree, they can have a unique look until they are heated up enough to a point where the asphalt becomes pliable and the weight of the shingles and gravity forces them to lay flat on the roof surface. This could potentially take several months. Patience and trust are required on the part of the homeowner for the asphalt shingles will eventually lay flat on the roof.  If you are not willing to live with this temporary appearance than your roof will need to be installed in warmer weather. Overall, if you are patient and understanding then having a roof installed in the winter will work out for you. Although, ultimately, you will have to decide if a cold weather roof installation is right for you – we highly recommend speaking with one of our experts. Our team will evaluate your property dynamics and location and help guide you through the process in making this decision. Personally, we see very few issues with cold weather installation of shingles. The issue that we see, and experience is that it’s cold on our fingers, but we are tough, so if you are ready let’s get roofing!