Replacing your roof is a project that improves the aesthetics of your home, increases your energy efficiency, and keeps your home safe and dry. Now, aside from being an expensive project, roofing is also quite complex and may take a few days to complete (even with a roofing crew). This is why picking the right season is so important. This question, however, is not so easy to answer.
Now, if you want the short answer, you’ll learn that the best time of the year to replace your roof is early fall. The temperatures are comfortable (anyone who has ever tried roofing in July will know why), the weather is mild, and the weather forecast is fairly accurate.
Does this mean that you should always replace your roof in July? Of course not! There are a lot of things to consider and here are a few scenarios in which fall might not be ideal for this home improvement project.
Why Fall?
Well, there are several reasons why fall is your safest bet. For instance:
- Storms are more likely during spring and summer, which is why waiting for fall might be safer.
- The temperature is usually ideal for outdoor work (between 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) and the sun is not too intense.
- Waiting for winter may be particularly inconvenient, seeing as how shingles might not have enough time to adequately bond to the roof. Moreover, the majority of veteran contractors find it difficult to work with shingles in extremely low temperatures.
- One more thing you need to keep in mind if considering winter installation. Everything takes more time during winter. You need more work hours and more work days to complete the same project. In the end, this causes you inconvenience for longer and results in you having to pay substantially more.
- It’s essential that, if you’re going to replace your roof, you do it before winter. In fact, by taking this route, you’re bound to save a small fortune on heating. The sooner you do it, the sooner you get to the break-even point.
In other words, fall creates a perfect storm of favorable conditions and incentives to get things done before winter. You get both the perks and motivation.
Depending on the State
If you live in a cold state, chances are that there could be snow as early as fall. So, according to Summit Construction Group from Minnesota, a cold state, if that’s the case and replacing your roof is not an immediate priority, it might be better to wait until next spring. Keep in mind that in these states, the heating season starts earlier, as well. So, if you are heating in the fall, you want the roofing to be done before fall so that you start saving energy on reduced heat loss as soon as possible.
Then again, you may live in Florida where there’s no “real” fall. The temperature is not temperate fall might come with an increased hazard of hurricanes. In this case, as well, spring, or summer might be a better choice.
Fall Is Always Busy
Another thing you need to keep in mind is the demand. Sure, fall is ideal for this kind of work and that’s why every guide out there will suggest it. This means that people either know that fall is the right season for this kind of work or they find out 4 seconds after they look it up online.
As a result, all roofing companies might already be booked. In fact, in some areas, it’s advised to talk to contractors at least two months in advance. This way, you’ll be able to check if they’re available and make their arrangements. Again, if they’re not available, it’s best to wait for spring (if next fall is too far away). Even if they do agree to squeeze you into their schedule, there’s a risk that they’ll rush it. This means that they’ll work more hours per day, which may have some negative outcomes.
If you’re obsessed with the cost, late winter and early spring may yield the lowest price. The majority of roofing companies are not busy during this time of the year, which is why they may offer off-season discounts. Still, the majority of people find this strategy to be not worth it.
One trick that you can do is buy materials in the off-season. This way, you may get a discount. Just keep in mind that storing (some) of these materials may be a bit troublesome. It’s important to do your research in advance and make a viable plan. Sometimes, by trying to save money, you may end up paying more.
At the very least, you should spend the off-season researching your options. Replacing your roof is a significant investment and you do not want to do this lightly.
Water Related Problems
Of course, if it’s a particularly wet fall, you might see some water-related problems if your roof is already damaged. Things like:
- Condensation
- Flashing leaks
- Ice dams
- Icicles
All of these can make the situation drastically worse if your roof is already in a suboptimal state. In some areas, falls can also be known for storms. So, you want to get things done before there are falling tree branches and wind storms. In these scenarios, getting it, all done before fall might be a better option.
Also, if you’re planning to try overlay, the condition of your current roof may play a much larger role than you initially expected. This is also important if you plan to install solar panels in the nearest future.
Wrap Up
In the end, it’s important to stress that fall is still the best season for roofing and everything that we’ve listed can be classified as contextual. In other words, we were nitpicking to give you some scenarios in which fall may be out of the question. Regardless, if you do have a chance to do it in the fall, and have a crew (not just any crew but a verified contractor and a seasoned team) available, you should do it. If not, it all comes down to whether you can afford to wait for the next fall or plan to push it to spring.
