If your roof is in need of urgent repair, you have come to the right place. I am not a roofing contractor, but I have just finished replacing the roof on my home when the old one failed. The contractor I called in helped me to assess the condition of my old roof and to choose the right type of material to replace it with. He carried out the work quickly and kept me informed about what he was doing. I have learnt so much from the experience that I wanted to share my new found knowledge with the rest of the world.
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The cost of roof repair or replacement isn't the same all-year-round. You may not be able to plan for emergency roof repair or replacement events, such as following a storm or leakages, but it is possible to schedule non-emergency repairs for periods that are cheaper and more convenient for you as a homeowner. In addition, your roofing material may restrict you to certain times of the year for replacement. This article discusses roof repair and replacement timings in detail.
1. Avoid the peak season
Late summer through fall is the busiest season in a roofing contractor's calendar. This is because many homeowners rush to inspect their roofs and make necessary repairs to ensure they last the winter and prevent high energy consumption because of faulty roofs. Therefore, not only should you expect higher labour and material costs, you probably won't get an appointment for weeks since the contractors are already busy.
Scheduling non-emergency repairs in low-peak seasons has advantages you won't get at other times. Apart from lower prices and more convenient appointments, you're likely to get better work quality since contractors can give you a bigger crew and take their time on your project. In addition, the crews are well-rested and more likely to produce high-quality work.
The best way to ensure you don't get caught in the peak hassle is to have annual roof inspections around late spring to early summer. You can do it yourself or hire professionals to inspect. At this time, many contractors are less busy, and you can nab any potential problem areas before peak season. Without this inspection, you'll be stuck playing catch-up with emergency repairs you can do little about.
2. Consider your roofing material
Certain roofing materials can only be installed or repaired during certain external conditions for best results, for instance:
Asphalt shingles should be installed in warm weather, as the sealing strip doesn't hold properly during cold weather and hence could increase likelihood of cracking. However, it shouldn't be done when it's too hot as the shingles are soft and can get damaged by nails much easier
Metallic roofs, both vertical panels and horizontal shingles, can be installed or repaired during any season
IB DeckShield and EPDM Rubber Membranes should be installed in warm weather for proper drying of the adhesive
Single-ply thermoplastic membranes with heat-welded seams like PVC and TPO can be installed in winter.
Usually, if you try repair in fall a roof that can wait until winter, you'll be pushed forward in favour of those roofs that can't. Knowing the roofing type in advance will help you schedule your appointments earlier for emergency work or wait until later for non-emergency work where the material allows cold-weather installation.
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