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If you live in an area of the country, such as Massachusetts, with harsh winters you might be wondering why anyone would consider roof replacement in the winter time. Well, it's not as uncommon as you might think. Many roofing contractors offer their services year round even in cold and snowy regions like Massachusetts, which is where I'm from. Roofing Massachusetts homes during the winter is no different for a roofing contractor than doing it any other time of the year, with a few exception, and some roofing contractors and there crews even say that they prefer it. First let's go over what makes roofing more difficult this time of year and the arguments against having a new roof installed right now.

It's too cold outside for a roof replacement.

This argument just doesn't hold any water. It may be cold out now but who cares? Your roof doesn't care. The crew installing your roof doesn't care. Don't worry about the guys doing the installation. If the cold weather bothered them that much they wouldn't be up there installing your new roof in the first place, they would be working an indoor job. I know a lot of guys that prefer roofing in cold weather just because it is cold. Try roofing a black roof in the middle of the Summer. Lots of fun, let me tell ya. In the Summer if it is 90 degrees on the ground it feels like 110 degrees up on that roof (and sometimes is).

There is too much snow on my roof to have it replaced right now.

This, my friend, is why God created snow shovels. It is really not a big deal to shovel the snow off of a roof. It usually takes a half-hour to an hour to remove the snow and most roofing contractors don't even charge you extra for this as long as they are there to replace the roof and not just shovel snow (a service which many roofing companies provide in the North East). Does the crew need to be careful while doing this to avoid falling? Of course. However, the crew needs to be careful in every regard when it comes to roofing a house, this is nothing new. These guys are professionals and safety should always comes first, and does always come first with a responsible roofing company.

Alright, I just gave you 2 reasons why many people think roofing shouldn't be done in the winter and why they aren't really very good reasons at all. Now let me give you the 4 best reasons you should consider having your roof replaced this time of year.

1.) Ice dams causing leaks.

The winter time in Massachusetts tests your home and roof in ways unlike any other time of year. The most common cause of roof leaks during the winter is the dreaded ice dam. An ice dam is formed over the eaves of a house from built up snow melting and running down the roof only to refreeze at the very edge of the roof line. Here in Massachusetts, as well as other cold climate areas, roofing contractors use a product called "ice & water barrier" together with proper drip-edge flashing techniques to prevent ice dams from damaging your home and causing leaks. This technique, when done properly, provides added protection for at least 3 feet up from all edges of the roof. Many older roofs do not have "ice & water barrier" installed. If your roof is leaking because of ice dams this could be a great time to have the roof redone properly and insure that ice dams will not be bothering you and your home again.

2.) Winter conditions, in general, make a bad roof worse.

If you had a bad roof before winter hit it is only going to be in worse shape once spring arrives. There are many factors that adversely affect your roof in the cold weather. I already discussed ice dams but there's more. During the winter as the temperature fluctuates it makes your shingles expand and contract causing curling and cracking in older shingles. Now let's say some of your old roof shingles curl a bit, then you get a nice wet, heavy snow and the weight of the snow causes some of those curled shingles to crack. Now you have a potential new roof leak. Also, when that wet, heavy snow then freezes it will possibly cause even more damage to your old roof shingles. The thawing and refreezing that occurs throughout the winter time is nothing but bad for old shingles. Old roofs hate the cold winters.

3.) Faster service on your new roof installation.

It's a simple fact that Massachusetts roofing contractors, and roofing contractors in general, are not as busy during the winter. What this means for a homeowner needing a new roof is that the roof contractor you choose might be able to install your new roofing in a matter of days from the time that you sign the contract as opposed to waiting weeks, or even months sometimes, if you hold off until the spring, summer, and fall months. For many homeowners this reason alone should be enough to have your roof done in the winter time.

4.) Save money by taking advantage of a slow time of year for roofers.

Who doesn't want to save as much money as possible especially when it comes to an expensive home improvement project such as re-roofing. For the same reasons that you may be able to receive faster installation service on a new roof from a roofing contractor during the winter, you will also probably receive a better price than you would during the warmer months. Most professional roof installers will provide you with the same labor warranty for a roof installed in winter time as a roof installed any other time of year. The material warranty is provided by the shingle manufacturer and will be the same regardless of what season the roof was installed. Roofing contractors want to keep their crews busy and will give you a better price just to avoid having to lay off employees during the winter slowdown.

So what are you waiting for? If you have a house with an older roof that needs replacing get in touch with a local roofing contractor and find out for yourself why roofing Massachusetts homes or a home in any other area is a perfectly viable option in the winter time and often a bargain!