Cold-Weather Temperatures and Metal Roofs- Questions and Answers
The cold weather is quickly approaching and with the long months of winter ahead, come many questions and concerns regarding one’s metal roofs.
For those of us who reside in a northern state where we receive a substantial amount of snowfall during the winter months, a common question is, can you clear your roof of the snow or ice dams? The <a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" rel="external nofollow" target=”_blank” href=”http://www.thermaltecroofing.com” title=”commercial roofing company”>commercial roofing company, Thermal-Tec Roofing agrees with NRCA when they say that roof owners should not try and remove ice and snow from their roofs metal. We do not recommend building owners to try and remove ice and snow from their roofs for several reasons. The most important concern is for safety purposes. Only experienced roofing consultants should perform work on roofs. Secondly, it is very easy to damage one’s roof metal with a shovel when removing snow. Most roof contractors will not cover roof repairs if the roof coatings and gutters are damaged due to owners trying to remove the ice and snow themselves. Trying to remove ice and snow from your roof yourself can end up costing you more money than having a roofing company come out. Thirdly, many building owners have “roof rakes” – customized rakes with extra long handles— to remove snow from roofs while standing on the ground. A roof rake can only reach so far; reaching only the snow from a roof system’s lowermost sections. The remaining snow that is not reachable with a roof rake can potentially cause a secondary ice dam on your roof. Most roofing companies do not install ice-dam protection membranes more than 24 to 36 inches beyond the roof/wall intersection. Areas where there are secondary ice dams building up will likely notice a leaking roof.
If you are a building owner who has experienced problems with ice damming, there are several solutions available. Ice damming is best addressed when your roof systems are still in its designing or construction stage. If that is not a viable option, here are some ways to prevent ice damming. Avoiding ice damming can be as easy as properly ventilating your attic space and installing additional insulation to your attic floor. Properly ventilating your attic space will help keep attic temperatures lower and reduce ice damming. Secondly, if you reside in an area where the average January temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, NRCA recommends you have a commercial roofing specialist install an ice-dam protection roofing membrane. Even with an ice-dam protection membrane, building owners should still make sure their attic is properly ventilated and insulated to avoid having your commercial roof company come out and perform any roof repairing needs due to roof leaks. Gutters are the most common place for ice dams to form. Eliminating gutters if at all possible can diminish the possibility of ice damming. If eliminating gutters is not an option, gutters and downspouts should be cleared of all debris before winter. As a final point, NRCA advises against installing electric heat cables because of the potential drawbacks. Electric heat cables not only cause a safety concern, but they can also damage the roof coating. Some electric heat cables even require exposed fasteners that penetrate roof coverings allowing for the possibility of a future roof leak.
Another common question is, can asphalt shingles can be installed in the cold-weather temperatures? NRCA says there is no definitive cut-off temperature, but they do offer some suggestions. As the temperatures drop, fiberglass and organic asphalt shingles become more and more brittle. Shingles are prone to cracking during installation if it is cold outside. Because cold shingles become brittle in the winter, it is also important to be cautious when nailing shingles. Nails tend to break through the shingles in lower temperatures. Finally, Most asphalt shingles have self-sealing adhesive strips used to increase shingles’ wind resistances. The adhesive is thermally activated by the exposure to the sun or high temperatures and lower temperatures can hinder proper adhesion of self-sealing strips. An alternative to self-sealing strips is manual sealing shingles that can be used with asphalt flashing roof cement.
One final recommendation from NRCA, do not use de-icing salts. De-icing salts are corrosive and can eat away at the roofing system, gutters, downspouts and whatever may be on the ground below. Contact a commercial roofing specialist for any other questions
Watch this video about metal roof contractor
CHECK OUT OUR POLE BARNS. WE SELL FULL KITS TO DO IT YOURSELF Please help to answer the question about metal roof contractordoes your sub contractor who is replacing a metal roof have to have a plumbers license?
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Thermal Tec Roofing -
About the Author:
Thermal-Tec Roofing is a leading Midwest Commercial Roofing Contractor, Asphalt Roofing and Industrial Roofing Company that provides our MR Multi-Ply® Roof System to commercial roofs and industrial roofs throughout the Midwest including; Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, Alabama and all other Midwest states and cities. Our award winning Roofing Company has been successfully maintaining roofs, repairing roofs and installing commercial and industrial roofs since 1983 and has grown to having offices in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Visit our Commercial Roofing Website here.
Related Cold-Weather Temperatures and Metal Roofs- Questions and Answers:
- Trident Roofing: Make your Roofs Winter Proof
- Reroof America Management, Announces Reroof America Contractor’s Tips for Roof Leak Prevention During the Winter Months
- Beware Of Ice Dams On Your Roof
- Metal Roofing Materials
- Different Types Of Issaquah Roofing Materials
- The Benefits of Metal Roofing
July 3rd, 2010 | by roofing contractor |
By DL on Jul 4, 2010
Warranties on roofing materials are rarely used, for several reasons:
1. The bulk of the cost is in labor, rather than materials.
2. Manufacturers only cover defective materials, and the vast majority of problems with your roof are caused by incorrect installation, inappropriate materials given your location, "acts of God", etc.
3. Even if you do determine that you have defective materials, the warranty is typically pro-rated after a few years, so that after 10 years you'd only get a percentage of the amount you had originally spent.
It is much more important to get a guarantee from the roofing contractor that you hired.
Finally, although proof of purchase is helpful, it isn't usually required by manufacturers. Most roofing materials include a serial number or other method of identification, and this should be adequate should you wish to invoke the warranty. This article provides more detail: http://www.roofery.com/shingles/warranty.html.
By biggun on Jul 4, 2010
The restaurant industry has slip resistant shoes that work very well in greasy conditions. But they won't have steel toes or shanks.
http://www.knotlimited.com/servlet/ProductList?command=createProcurement&supplierID=353&manuID=353&categoryID=2146&categoryName=Men%27s+Slip-Resistant+Shoes
http://www.foodservice.com/iexhibit/shoesforcrews/products.cfm
http://www.standingcomfort.com/shoes/chef-shoes.html
And I actually found some work boots that advertise themselves as slip resistant…
http://www.nonslipandsteelshoes.com/vendor/worx%20by%20red%20wing.htm
By OMEGA1 on Jul 4, 2010
There are so many variables here that anything we say will only be a guess. The condition of your roof, the whole roof, not just the shingles, how many layers of shingles are on the roof right now, what the local codes require, most will allow two layers of shingles but not three. When I have a situation like this, I call the local building inspector and ask him/her, after all they are the ones that will have the final say. The inspectors in my area don't mind stopping by and giving their opinion.
By Blogger on Jul 4, 2010
Metal and shingles contract and expand at the same rate. If you were to remove the metal after a year and inspect the underside it would look as if it were new.
By Wordpress on Jul 4, 2010
Wow! It takes guts for you to put this on the Internet for all to see. Like the masked magician showing how to do tricks, risking criticism from other magicians.
There are a lot of legitimate roofers out there like you, but since weve had a lot of severe weather they stay busy, they cant afford to take what I can afford. So it leaves me a few options, get ripped off or do it myself. Keep up the good work and thanks for your detailed videos.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Jim J in Arkansas
By Anonymous on Jul 5, 2010
I was told by the pro shop at Home Depot…If you fasten metal roofing material directly to asphalt shingles you have just voided the warranty. The paint has a chemical reaction to the minerals in the shingle that starts to rust the roof from the bottom . Just like rusting fenders on a car !
By Anonymous on Jul 5, 2010
Great Video!! Its been years since I’ve done metal i am in the north east and its becoming more popular in our area, how bout when a dormer ties into the main roof detail with valley and ridge vent, and maybe a masonry chimney flash video… and how do i know i am running straight? I’ve gotton more from your videos than i have from my suppliers!! Again Thanks!!
By billaryboy on Jul 5, 2010
HCl is soluble in water. Adding water to a HCl solution dilutes the acid. Add enough water and the HCl solution approaches the acidity of rain water. The HCl has been completely washed away by 3 days of rain. There certainly won't be any HCl solution left on the roof. The HCl was probably washed away by the contractor when he rinsed off the roof after cleaning it.
The owner is confused about HCl. The gas, HCl, ionizes in water and is corrosive. Exposing the roof to concentrated HCl solution is more corrosive than exposing a dry rood to HCl gas. However, the more water you add to a HCl solution, the weaker (and less corrosive) it becomes.
By Free Blog on Jul 5, 2010
I was told it would not void the warranty. I have a question though. If you lay the metal directly on the shingles, would the expanding and contracting of the metal not wear a hole in the metal?
By Anonymous on Jul 5, 2010
how much does something like this cost? USD
By gc27858 on Jul 6, 2010
You have to have ventilation. Metal is not an insulator, it's a conductor. If it's shiny it will reflect, but it won't stay shiny. If there is insulation under the metal, then the reflective quality will be helpful, but if not, the metal will heat up and it will get hotter than hell in your attic, and make your AC work harder. The more ventilation you have, the better. Ridge vents are good.
The problem with your existing fans is that they were made to install on a shingle roof, and the flange is probably full of nail holes and roofing cement, and hard to tie in on a metal roof. They can probably be modified in various ways, (e.g. curb mounted), by a good sheetmetal mechanic to work with a metal roof, and hopefully, your roofer is a good sheetmetal mechanic. Alternatively you could put gable fans, if you have gables.
By Ken Leal on Jul 6, 2010
There are many roofers in San Jose, California. So, you have lots of options out there to choose from.
By WPBlog Shop on Jul 6, 2010
I have a question. If you lay your metal directly on the shingles, would the expanding and contracting of the metal not eventually wear a hole in the metal?
By lyn g on Jul 6, 2010
A metal roof is not installed by a plumber, it would be installed by a roofer or a sheet metal worker.
By billaryboy on Jul 7, 2010
Hcl eats metal. If there were holes in the enamel the acid when applied would attack the roofing. The damage would be immediate and obvious.
Hcl becomes diluted (weaker) when you add water. If the contractor was careful to rinse well and then you had three days of rain it's hard to imagine any acid residue could have remained or done any damage.
You might buy one piece of roofing and duplicate the cleaning and flushing process to see if it damages the metal. This could provide some insights.
good luck.
By rock 1050 on Jul 7, 2010
By Anonymous on Jul 7, 2010
@stuckinmyass Minerals have chemicals? Cool. If you want to put a moisture barrier, put one. Metal roofing has been installed over open rafters for over a century . The need for underlayment is optional.