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Can You Replace a Roof in Winter in Northeast Indiana?

By Affordable Roofing · Published

The short answer: Yes. Asphalt shingle roofs can be replaced in winter. We don't do a lot of winter roofs, but when a homeowner needs one done, we do it. The catch is the seal strip. It's heat-activated, so shingles put on in the cold may not seal until warmer, sunny days. Owens Corning has specific cold-weather steps for that, including hand-sealing the shingles around the roof's perimeter. Almost all of our roofs are torn off and installed in one day, and we never leave a roof open. That matters even more in winter.

The short version:

  • Below 40°F, Owens Corning calls for extra care and specific cold-weather installation steps.
  • Shingles may not seal right away in cold weather. The factory sealant needs the sun's heat to bond.
  • Perimeter shingles get hand-sealed with asphalt roof cement so wind can't lift them before the strip activates.
  • The deck has to stay dry. Snowy, icy or wet days are no-go days.
  • Our approach: we take on winter jobs when a homeowner needs the roof done. Almost all of our roofs are finished in one day, and we never leave a roof open.

We're a family-owned roofing company that has been replacing roofs across northeast Indiana since 2012. Every fall, homeowners ask us whether they should go ahead now or wait until spring. Most of our roofs go on in the warmer months, but some homeowners can't wait. Here's how we handle those winter jobs.

Can roofs be replaced in the winter?

Yes. Winter isn't our busy season, but when a homeowner needs a roof done, we do it. You'll find a few cold-month jobs on our projects page. One example is the Owens Corning Duration roof shown below, which we posted on February 10, 2024. That job included a full resheet of the deck with new 1/2-inch OSB, and the crew still finished it in one day.

What changes in winter isn't whether a roof can go on. It's how it goes on. Shingle manufacturers write cold-weather instructions because asphalt shingles act differently in the cold:

  • They're stiffer. Owens Corning's installation instructions say to "use extra care in handling shingles when the temperature is below 40°F."
  • They don't seal right away. Owens Corning explains that its shingles have "a factory-applied strip of thermally activated sealant," and "direct exposure to the sun's energy activates the sealant." In cold weather, shingles "may not immediately seal until warmer temperatures are present" (Owens Corning cold weather technical bulletin).
  • They may take longer to lie flat. The same bulletin notes that shingles installed in cold weather "may take longer to lay flat."

None of that means a winter roof is a bad roof. It means the crew has to follow the cold-weather steps.

Aerial view of a home with a newly installed Owens Corning Duration shingle roof by Affordable Roofing, posted in February
Roof replacement with Owens Corning Duration shingles and a full resheet of new OSB, posted February 10, 2024.

What's different about installing shingles below 40°F?

Owens Corning's cold-weather bulletin applies when "the air and surface temperatures are at or below 40°F (4°C)." In northeast Indiana, that covers a lot of days from late fall through early spring. The bulletin recommends these steps:

  1. Leave a small gap at the shingle ends. Field shingles get a slight gap, no more than 1/16 inch, at the end joints. Shingles expand when it warms up, and the gap keeps them from buckling against each other.
  2. Hand-seal every shingle around the perimeter. On architectural (laminated) shingles, Owens Corning calls for four 1-inch dabs of ASTM D4586-compliant asphalt roof cement. They go about 1 inch from the leading edge and get pressed into place. That protects the edges, where wind grabs first, until the seal strip activates.
  3. Don't overdo the cement. The bulletin warns that too much roof cement can make shingles blister, and that it shouldn't squeeze out past the edge.
  4. Handle bundles gently. Cold shingles are less forgiving, so loading, carrying and bending all need more care.

The Duration installation instructions repeat the perimeter hand-sealing and the end gap for cold-weather installs (Owens Corning Duration installation instructions). Following them is part of installing the shingle the way the manufacturer requires.

Question to ask any roofer quoting a winter job: "What do you do differently when it's below 40 degrees?" If the answer doesn't include hand-sealing the perimeter, keep asking.

Aerial view of a ranch home with a newly installed shingle roof by Affordable Roofing, posted in late February
Roof replacement posted February 28, 2020, a late-winter job.

Will my new shingles seal in winter?

They will. It just may take until the weather warms up. Owens Corning lists the things that affect how fast the sealant activates: geographic location, roof slope, which direction the roof faces relative to the sun, and the average daily outdoor temperature during and after installation.

In plain terms, a south-facing slope on a sunny February afternoon may start sealing much sooner than a shaded north slope. Until the strip activates, the hand-sealed perimeter is what holds the edges against wind. That's why we don't treat that step as optional.

When should you wait for better weather?

Some days aren't roofing days, in any month:

  • Snow or ice on the roof. The deck has to be clean and dry before anything goes down. Owens Corning's instructions tell installers to "prevent the wood deck from getting wet before, during and after installation."
  • Wet or freezing-rain forecast. Once the old roof is off, the deck is open until the new underlayment goes on. That's why the weather forecast matters for any tear-off, and why we never leave a roof open.
  • Deep cold snaps. Crew safety and handling the shingles both get harder. A few days' wait is better than rushing.

If your roof can't wait until spring, call us anyway. We'll look at the roof, talk through timing, and get it done when you need it.

What we see on Fort Wayne-area winter jobs

Here's what fourteen years of roofing around Fort Wayne looks like when the job lands in winter:

  • We do winter roofs when homeowners need them. We don't do many, but our Facebook history includes roofs posted in December, February and early March. Examples include a steel roof posted December 22, 2018, a Duration roof with a full OSB resheet posted February 10, 2024, and a Duration roof posted March 13, 2024 that went on the week before.
  • Most roofs are done in one day. Winter or summer, almost all of our roofs are torn off and installed in a single day. The February 2024 job even included a full deck resheet and was still finished that day.
  • We never leave a roof open. Whatever we tear off, we cover the same day. Your home isn't left with an open deck overnight, in any season.
  • Metal is less sensitive to cold. A steel roof doesn't depend on a heat-activated seal strip like asphalt shingles do, which is one reason metal is an option for some winter projects.
Aerial view of a home with a newly installed steel roof by Affordable Roofing in late December, with bare winter trees
New steel roof, posted December 22, 2018.

Is winter the cheapest time to replace a roof?

We can't promise a winter discount. What actually drives the price is your roof: its size, pitch, the number of layers to tear off, the decking and the materials you choose. The best reason to do a roof in winter is that it can't wait. If it can, spring through fall is when we do most of our roofs. If budget is the concern, ask about our financing options.

For a full picture of what goes into a quote, read How to Compare Roof Replacement Quotes in Fort Wayne. If you're still choosing a shingle, see Owens Corning Duration vs Oakridge and our asphalt shingle roofing page.

Aerial view of a home with a newly installed Owens Corning Duration shingle roof by Affordable Roofing, posted in March
Roof replacement with Owens Corning Duration shingles, posted March 13, 2024.

Frequently asked questions

Can you replace a roof in the winter in Indiana?

Yes. Asphalt shingle roofs can be installed in winter if the deck is dry and the crew follows the manufacturer's cold-weather steps. Below 40°F, Owens Corning calls for small end gaps and hand-sealing the perimeter shingles with asphalt roof cement. We don't do many winter roofs, but when a homeowner needs one, we do it, usually in a single day.

What temperature is too cold to install shingles?

Owens Corning doesn't set a single cutoff temperature. Its cold-weather recommendations kick in when air and surface temperatures are at or below 40°F (4°C), and they include extra handling care, end-joint gaps and perimeter hand-sealing. Snow, ice, wet decking and safety are the practical limits we watch on winter jobs.

Will shingles seal if they're installed in cold weather?

Yes, once it warms up. The factory seal strip is thermally activated by the sun. In cold weather, it may not seal until warmer temperatures arrive. Location, slope, which way the roof faces and daily temperatures all affect timing. Hand-sealing the perimeter protects against wind until then.

What is the cheapest month for roofing?

There isn't a guaranteed cheapest month. Price depends mostly on roof size, pitch, layers, decking and materials, not the calendar. Most of our roofs go on from spring through fall, and we do winter jobs when a homeowner needs them. Get a written quote and compare it line by line.

How long does a winter roof replacement take?

Almost all of our roofs are torn off and installed in one day, winter included. Our February 2024 job included a full deck resheet and still finished in a day. We never leave a roof open, so whatever comes off gets covered the same day.

Need a roof that can't wait for spring? We'll look at your roof, walk you through timing, and give you a written quote. Book your free estimate, call (260) 402-3549 or (260) 299-ROOF, or learn more about Fort Wayne roof replacement.

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