Winter Roofing in Calgary
Leak repairs, ice dam and attic rain fixes, and full roof replacements all winter, done to the manufacturers' cold-weather standards.
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Calgary roofs don't take the winter off
Winter is when roof problems show themselves. A cold snap builds frost in the attic, a chinook melts it overnight, and the water comes through the ceiling. Snow sitting on a warm roof freezes into ice dams at the eaves. Chinook gusts lift shingles that were fine for years.
We work through all of it. Our crews are on call 24/7 for leaks, we fix the attic and ventilation problems behind ice dams and attic rain, and we replace roofs in winter when a roof can't wait for spring. Calgary's weather helps: the city averages about 17 January days above freezing, and an Environment Canada meteorologist puts its chinook days at about 25 a winter.
What we do in winter
Emergency leak repair
Active leaks, wind damage and storm damage, any hour. We stop the water first with tarping or temporary sealing, then come back for the permanent repair on the first suitable day.
Emergency roof repairWinter roof replacement
When a roof can't wait for spring. Asphalt shingles go on with the manufacturers' cold-weather steps, including hand-sealing, and steel shingles and standing seam metal install normally all year.
How winter installs workIce dams and attic rain
We find where heat and moisture are getting into the attic and fix the roof side: balanced ventilation, bathroom fan roof caps, solar-powered attic vents, heat cables for trouble spots and ice and water membrane at the eaves.
Attic rain or roof leak?Free winter inspections
A full look at the roof and the attic, with photos of everything we find. The best way to catch problems before the spring melt and hail season arrive.
Book an inspectionHow we replace roofs in winter
Cold changes how shingles and membranes behave. The manufacturers spell out what to do about it, and we follow their instructions on every winter job. That keeps your shingle warranty intact.
Shingle sealant strips need warmth and sun to bond. GAF puts the line at 4°C.
Shingles are hand-sealed with roofing cement so they can't lift in the wind before spring.
Cold shingles stiffen and can crack. IKO says they get brittle from 10°C down.
Bundles are stored warm, handled carefully and never dropped, and hips and ridges are formed with warm shingles.
Nails can blow through a cold shingle, and compressors lose pressure in the cold.
Nail gun pressure is set for the conditions and checked through the day, so every nail is straight and flush.
Ice and water membrane needs warmth to stick.
Rolls are kept warm and applied to the maker's cold-weather procedure along the eaves and in the valleys.
Snow, frost and ice on the roof deck.
The deck is cleared and dry before anything goes down, and we only open as much roof as we can close that day.
Short days and changing weather.
Jobs are scheduled day by day around the forecast. Calgary averages about 17 January days above freezing, and we work those windows.
Every winter install comes with our 10-year workmanship warranty. For the full details, read can you replace a roof in winter in Calgary?
Winter roof problems we fix
Ice dams
Ridges of ice at the eaves that back meltwater up under the shingles.
Ventilation and eave protection, heat cables for trouble spots, and repairs to damaged shingles and eavestroughs.
Ice dam guideAttic rain
Attic frost that melts through the ceiling when a chinook follows a cold snap.
Bathroom fans vented outside, balanced attic ventilation, solar attic vents, and an honest call on air sealing.
Attic rain guideSnowmelt leaks
Meltwater finding lifted flashing, cracked vent boots or worn skylight seals.
Flashing, vent boot and skylight repairs, done on dry days with the area cleared of snow.
Winter leak guideWind damage
Shingles lifted or torn off by chinook gusts.
Replacement shingles, hand-sealed in the cold, and a check for others that have lost their seal.
Roof repairFrozen eavestroughs
Ice-packed eavestroughs that back water up at the roof edge and into the soffit.
Slope and downspout fixes, plus guards and heat cable where they make sense.
Eavestrough servicesWinter roofing questions
Yes. Roofs are replaced in Calgary in every month of the year. A winter install needs dry days, temperatures the materials can handle and the manufacturers' cold-weather steps, like hand-sealing the shingles. Steel and standing seam metal roofing installs normally all year.
Yes, 24/7. We stop the water first with tarping or a temporary repair, then make the permanent repair on the first suitable day. Call (587) 224-6494 any time.
The manufacturers set the limits, and most use 4°C as the line. Below that, shingles can still be installed if the cold-weather steps are followed: hand-sealing, warm storage, careful handling and adjusted nailing. We skip days of deep cold, snow and high wind.
Not when the shingles are installed to the manufacturer's instructions, including the cold-weather steps. GAF says its warranty is not affected when all its application instructions are followed, cool-weather provisions included. Every Peakline roof also comes with our 10-year workmanship warranty.
Don't chip at them or climb onto an icy roof. If you can do it safely from the ground, rake the snow off the lower few feet of the roof. If water is getting inside, call us. Recurring ice dams mean heat is escaping into the attic, and we'll find where.
No. The City of Calgary does not require a permit to replace or repair roofing materials. Some changes do need a building permit, like switching from shingles to clay tile or altering the roof structure.
Materials cost the same in winter, so not automatically. What winter gives you is time: shorter waits, flexible start dates, and a new roof in place before the spring melt and hail season.
Don't wait for the spring melt
Free roof and attic inspections all winter, across Calgary and the surrounding towns. For leaks, call any time.
Serving Calgary & area, including:
Kensington, Mount Royal, Beltline, Inglewood, Bridgeland, Bowness, Auburn Bay, Tuscany, Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere