Fall is the Time for Roofing

Whether you're replacing just part of a client's roof or reinstalling the whole structure, it's a tough and sometimes risky job that requires consideration for weather. You’ll want to pick an ideal blend of climate conditions for getting this major task done as comfortably and safely as possible for you and your crew.

Once winter snow, spring rainfalls and summer heat waves have faded away, but before next winter's deep freezes and snowfalls return, autumn offers weather that's cool without being dangerously hot or cold. This is ideal for work and occupational safety, as well as materials and tools.

Scheduling roofing throughout the fall is especially useful for a smooth workflow. Let's get down to a few specific reasons why.

Ideal safety weather

Roofing a home or building of any kind usually requires you to be completely outside on a part of the structure that gets the strongest weather exposure. Doing it when the temperature is between 45 and 70 degrees with many rain-free days dramatically reduces the dangers of heat stroke, falls, or frost bite among your crew. This applies especially if you're working with heat-absorbing metal roofs or water-absorbing wood shingles that can both create problems during hot or rainy weather respectively.

Seasonal damage

After enduring the snow and frost of last year's winter, the rains that follow in the spring and the material-warping heat of summer months, early fall is a good time for assessing damage and leaks. By letting these seasonal changes take their toll before you start to repair or replace a client's roof, you can more comprehensively assess the damage that's present and how to repair it in the most thorough way their budget allows. You'll also be able to point out instances of damage or possible problems that wouldn't easily be visible during the dry summer months when people often don't catch leaks or heat insulation problems.

HVAC savings

Heat rises and in a home with an improperly sealed roof, it can leak out little by little. By pointing out how leaky roofs can abruptly cause increased heating bills right when it's most difficult to get roofing work completed, you'll help clients understand why the fall is an excellent time for efficiency upgrades to their roof. You can also explain how the savings on heat costs can apply for years after you've finished the work.

These same climate control considerations work in reverse during the summer months. By sealing a roof and re-insulating before next year's summer heat waves, you'll likely save your customers money on their air conditioning costs. These dual savings can also help clients create a more green-friendly home. All good reasons to point out as reasons for scheduling a fall roofing contract.

Labor expenses

If you plan to hire one or more roofing crews to manage your repair/replacement contracts for you, then fall is ideal in terms of labor. The people who perform roofing work for a living no more enjoy doing it in painful weather than anyone else. Looking for labor between December and April can mean increased equipment costs, safety issues and hiring difficulties. Many roofing crews focus on more comfortable work during the winter and will be more available for fall projects.

Temperature and roofing materials

Asphalt, slate, or synthetic slate roofing shingles and moisture sealing materials can become either too hot for easy handling during the summer or too cold and brittle when installed during the winter. Fall weather lets you work with them under ideal temperature and moisture conditions. This means superior thermal sealing without the hand-scorching heat of summer. This becomes even more of an issue for metal roofing installations.

In the case of wood shingles, installing them while the weather is throwing frequent rain at you can also lead to enormous amounts of absorbed moisture that make handling and lifting loads difficult.

Ice, snow, and structural damage

Depending on where you operate, winter snowfall can add a crushing burden to a damaged roof. Even if snow isn't too common, frost almost certainly will be, and this too can worsen existing leaks as freezing trapped water expands. Holding off on installing new tiles and underlying support structures until one more winter has gone by can lead to both of these common causes of roof damage only becoming worse and more expensive to fix. This can mean larger contracts, but it can also lead to safety complications and more complexity in handling logistics for roof installation and materials procurement.

Use Quality Roofing Tools from a Dependable Brand

Regardless of when you decide to take on a customer’s next roofing job, dealing with its challenges will be much easier if your tools are superbly made for speeding up the workflow as safely as possible. BECK’s roofing solutions offer innovative roofing installation products such as the SCRAIL® RoofLoc® Metal Roofing System. Developed by BECK, it delivers rapid, durable roof nailing technology that's specifically designed to handle temperature extremes. To help you properly prepare for your metal roofing job, download our whitepaper that’s full of helpful tips!