New Roof in what min. temp?
#1
01-20-06, 04:55 AM
New Roof in what min. temp?
I am looking to have a new roof installed. It is a complete tear off. I am in the process of getting bids now and I would like to know what the minimum temperature is for installing a new roof?
Thanks
Mark
Thanks
Mark
#2
01-20-06, 05:12 AM
Group Moderator
The minimum temperature would be as low as the workers can stand it. Even if it's cold you can work on roofs- the shingles will seal down eventually as the temperature becomes warmer. Not all parts of a roof seal down the same since some parts of a roof are in the shade, so you can't put a definate temperature on it. If there was a minimum temperature required for roofing, you can bet that the shingle manufacturers would print it on their packages. They evidentally aren't worried about the temperature- their warranty is more concerned about the shingles being applied and nailed in a correct manner.
The thing that you have to worry about is high wind coming up before the shingles are sealed down, and ripping off some of the work. You may be able to talk your contractor into using more nails in case of a high wind situation, which would be a smart precaution in cold weather. As long as your contractor will come and replace any blown off shingles at no additonal charge, you shouldn't care if he works in the cold or not.
The thing that you have to worry about is high wind coming up before the shingles are sealed down, and ripping off some of the work. You may be able to talk your contractor into using more nails in case of a high wind situation, which would be a smart precaution in cold weather. As long as your contractor will come and replace any blown off shingles at no additonal charge, you shouldn't care if he works in the cold or not.
#3
01-20-06, 08:31 PM
Member
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,999
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Sleeper is correct in his answers. In addition, we have installed new roofs at 10 below with no problems. Some even colder. We also do what is called torch the roof. This is where just before we lay down the felt, we run a hand torch over the roof to take out the frost. In addition, we always keep the shingles warm. We also give a 4 year warranety on our work. Good Luck
#4
01-21-06, 10:43 AM
Group Moderator
I have had to replace shingles on houses that were roofed in the wintertime. On one particular house that I remember (it was on the peak of a huge hill and the north side really caught the wind) almost an entire square of shingles had peeled off. Once a few shingles began to lift it was like dominoes.
Interestingly, the roofing subcontractors on that project had used staples, not nails. Overdriven staples create tears in the shingle and will result in early failure in high winds.
I don't want to start a nail v.s. staple debate, but I would never ever use a stapler in roofing, although many contractors do. They feel that the staple holds 2 points of a shingle, which is better than one. I would argue that a properly driven nail has more holding power due to the head of the nail. As a result, if a roofing contractor insists on using staples, he won't work for me. Staples probably work fine in the summer because when the shingles seal together it's not a big deal. But when they do not seal down and you have high winds, I've noticed that shingles that have been nailed have less failures. I'm not sure how other contractors feel and whether I'm in the minority on this one or not.
Interestingly, the roofing subcontractors on that project had used staples, not nails. Overdriven staples create tears in the shingle and will result in early failure in high winds.
I don't want to start a nail v.s. staple debate, but I would never ever use a stapler in roofing, although many contractors do. They feel that the staple holds 2 points of a shingle, which is better than one. I would argue that a properly driven nail has more holding power due to the head of the nail. As a result, if a roofing contractor insists on using staples, he won't work for me. Staples probably work fine in the summer because when the shingles seal together it's not a big deal. But when they do not seal down and you have high winds, I've noticed that shingles that have been nailed have less failures. I'm not sure how other contractors feel and whether I'm in the minority on this one or not.
#5
01-21-06, 11:23 AM
Member
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,999
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Sleeper is correct. Do not use staples. Most shingle manufactures state on the back of the shingle package, that using staples will void the warranty. Still some roofers use them.
#7
01-23-06, 07:14 AM
As long as the air pressure is set right on the compressor and guns nails and staples both work just as good to fasten down shingles. My father has roofed for over 30 years with the past 2 years being with only a nail gun. I've been doing it for 10 years with the past 4 years only nailing. Recently all my brothers and Uncles have switched over to nail guns.
Back a few years when my brother and I were partners he would nail half the roof and I would staple the other half (usually the front or the cut up pieces). In the 100 or so roofs we did in a two year period none of the shingles blew off.
A year or so ago my father got a call on some shingles that had blown off on a roof he did with my other brother. Winds that day were reported over 60 mph. About 2 bundles had blown off the back section of roof that had been half nailed and half stapled. Guess what fasteners were used in the blown off shingles? NAILS!!! My father had used the nail gun and all his nails were on the money with good air pressure. What my father found odd was the stapled shingles which hadn't blown off were stapled much more lousy.
I think the debate goes back to unexperienced guys using staple guns, not knowing what there doing.
With all the bad wrap staple guns get I'd also not hire a sub with a truck full of staple guns, but only because of perception and not facts.
Back a few years when my brother and I were partners he would nail half the roof and I would staple the other half (usually the front or the cut up pieces). In the 100 or so roofs we did in a two year period none of the shingles blew off.
A year or so ago my father got a call on some shingles that had blown off on a roof he did with my other brother. Winds that day were reported over 60 mph. About 2 bundles had blown off the back section of roof that had been half nailed and half stapled. Guess what fasteners were used in the blown off shingles? NAILS!!! My father had used the nail gun and all his nails were on the money with good air pressure. What my father found odd was the stapled shingles which hadn't blown off were stapled much more lousy.
I think the debate goes back to unexperienced guys using staple guns, not knowing what there doing.
With all the bad wrap staple guns get I'd also not hire a sub with a truck full of staple guns, but only because of perception and not facts.
#8
01-23-06, 07:16 AM
BTW, last time I looked at an Elk shingle wrapper the illustrations of installation showed a staple being used as the fastener.
Although not pleasant shingling can be done at very cold temperatures even sub zero. Tearing off can be done at any temperature but the colder it gets the more the shingles shatter and the more smaller pieces you have to deal with.
Although not pleasant shingling can be done at very cold temperatures even sub zero. Tearing off can be done at any temperature but the colder it gets the more the shingles shatter and the more smaller pieces you have to deal with.
