Repairing Roof Shingles In Winter

In the winter a dab of roofing cement or tar should be added to each shingle to bond them together until the tar strip is activated in warmer weather.

Repairing roof shingles in winter. The tar strip needs to be about 60f to activate. If your roofer needs to replace a large number of shingles or a panel of epdm material the temperature needs to remain north of 45 degrees fahrenheit to make the work possible. If you find granules of shingles in the gutter from a recent rainfall or snowfall you can spread them over the bituminous sealant to blend in your repair job. The first step to repair shingles is to remove all remnants of the old damaged shingles including pulling or pounding in all the nails.

Start by applying a thick bead of roofing sealant under the crack. Then set up a ladder and bucket system in the bucket you will probably need. Just remove them and replace them with new shingles of a similar style to the rest of the shingles on the roof. Look for a few days with no snow in the forecast and day time temperature highs in the 20 s or above.

The majority of the manufacturers will advise you exactly the proper ways to hand seal. Press the shingle down and apply a second bead of sealant on top of the crack. If a shingle is simply cracked or torn you don t have to replace it just repair it. Work with a contractor who is comfortable doing a winter install.

Plan to fix your shingles on a sunny warm day not cold because they will crack and not hot because they will crumble. That means the crew should apply the amount of roofing cement underneath every laminate shingle with a caulking gun and then press the shingles into the cement. It also depends on the nature of the repair. Then spread the sealant with a putty knife.

If the shingles are severely damaged don t try to salvage them. Hand sealing will prevent shingles to be blown off by the wind and will make sure they re perfectly bonded to avoid leaks or water damage. It s possible to repair a roof in the winter though it becomes more difficult as temperatures drop. Loosen the adhesive underneath the tabs of the damaged shingle then pull them free and discard.

This will help prevent the wind from lifting them before there is sufficient heat for them to self seal. It is the ideal technique to make sure that the shingles will seal properly. Shingles that aren t stuck to one another are very susceptible to damage in winter winds. Limited problem areas may be locally repaired.

Work with your contractor to pick a window of time where weather will be as good as can be expected for the winter months.