With a blustery winter upon us, many homeowners are making last-gasp efforts to finalizing their home maintenance projects in order to settle in next to the fire for a couple of months. One of your principal means of protection from winter weather (high winds, cold rain, snow, etc.) is of course your roof. The expectation, however, is that general roof maintenance cannot be done in the winter due to low temperatures and the risk of exposing your home’s interior to the environment. While this is only true for a number of roof products, the vast majority of roofing projects can be started and completed in the winter with a number of advantages to homeowners.

In general, almost any roof repair can be done in the winter. These varieties of roof maintenance include replacing damaged sections, fastening open seals, and more. It should be noted that if you have a minor maintenance project, such as a damaged section, it is best to go ahead and address the issue immediately or you run the risk of turning a simple repair-job into a major concern or even a full replacement.

In terms of new roof installations or replacement, only a handful of materials cannot be installed during the winter. Some flat roofs, for example, utilize self-adhering techniques during the installation process which are, in fact, temperature dependent. Flat roofs, however, that require either torch adherence or mechanical installation do not require specific temperature and, as a consequence, can easily be installed during the winter. Shingle roofs can be installed during the winter, yet the variables are much more erratic and significantly depend upon wind speeds. Metal roofs, slate roofs, and composition roofs are dependent upon fasteners (nails, clasps, screws) and as such can be installed any time of the year.

With winter come a number of advantages to homeowners in terms of their roof repairs and maintenance. Because of the misconception that all home external work must halt during the winter, winter becomes the annual slow period for many in the industry. This means, however, that roof maintenance projects will come with slightly lower costs.

In any event, it is important to ensure the quality of your roof during the most, weather-wise, turbulent time of the year. If a problem arises in your roof’s integrity, it’s best to address the matter immediately rather than wait for spring which, in many cases, will only exacerbate the problem. Regular roof maintenance does not expose your home’s interior to harsh environmental conditions and can be done in relatively short periods of time. Other projects, such as gutter cleaning, are a definite must before winter rains or snow considerably picks up. Rather than simply bunkering for the winter, be proactive and make sure that your roof is ready for anything Mother Nature throws at it.