Fall and spring are the easiest times to replace a roof in North Texas. The days are mild, the shingles seal well, and a crew can work a full day. But a careful roofer can put on a sound roof in any month. If your roof is leaking now, the best time is as soon as you can get it done.
What each season is like
- Fall. Warm days, cool nights and long dry spells. Shingles have a strip of glue on the back. The sun warms it so each row sticks to the row below. Fall sun is warm enough to do that without wearing out the crew.
- Winter. Most winter days here are fine for roofing. On cold days shingles get stiff and the glue strip takes longer to stick. A careful crew handles them gently and waits out ice or a hard freeze.
- Spring. Mild weather, but this is also hail season. A sudden storm can stop work for a day. After a big hail storm, roofers from Fort Worth to Cleburne get busy and the wait for a start date grows.
- Summer. Hot. Shingles seal fast, but they also get soft and scuff under boots. Crews often start at sunrise and stop in the afternoon. The work still gets done. It may take an extra day.
Weather matters more than the calendar
Most houses take one to three days to tear off and re-roof. So you do not need a perfect season. You need a short stretch of dry weather.
Ask your roofer what happens if rain shows up in the middle of the job. A good answer sounds like this: the crew only tears off what it can dry in the same day. Dry in means the bare wood is sealed under underlayment, the water-shedding sheet that goes below the shingles. Tarps stay on site in case a storm pops up.
When you should not wait
Some problems get worse with every rain. Do not hold out for nicer weather if you see any of these:
- Water stains on a ceiling, or a drip in the attic.
- Shingles missing after a wind storm, with bare spots showing.
- A soft or sagging spot in the roof deck, the wood sheets under the shingles.
Water that gets past the shingles soaks the deck, the insulation and the drywall. A small roof repair may hold things until a full job can be set. Ask if that is an option.
How to plan when there is no rush
- Find out the real state of the roof before hail season, not after. Then you know what you are starting with.
- Ask for a written price and a written list of the work. Compare two or three.
- Ask how far out the start date is. Good crews book up after storms.
- Pick your shingle ahead of time. If you are replacing anyway, look at impact-rated (Class 4) shingles, which are made to take hail better. Ask your agent what a Class 4 (impact-rated) roof does to your premium.
What to do next
If you think your roof is near the end, get it looked at and get a written price, whatever the month. Legacy Roofing is based in Crowley and replaces roofs across the Fort Worth side of the Metroplex. See what a roof replacement with us includes, then pick a dry week that works for you.
