Tips for a Roofing Project
Climbing ladders and walking on roofs is a dangerous business. Not only are you working at height, you are carrying heavy materials and/or sharp tools. Be sure you assess your own physical capabilities before considering roof work.

Be sure the ladders you are using are strong enough to carry both your weight and the weight of any materials you are carrying. Cheap household ladders are not designed to carry a total weight of over 200 pounds. Rent or borrow commercial-grade ladders.

Wear rubber-soled work shoes or over-the-ankle boots when climbing and walking on roofs. The rubber (or crepe) soles prevent damage to roof shingles and are more slip-proof to avoid falls.

Don't climb with your hands full of tools. Place hand tools into a 5-gallon plastic pail, attach a length of clothesline or other rope, and carry the end of the rope up the ladder to the roof. Then use the rope to hoist the pail of tools up on the roof.

If you are cutting flashing, shingles or shingle underlayment, throw scraps off the roof immediately. Scraps of shingle or metal flashing become toboggans when you step on them, and you can slide off a roof. Keep the roof deck clean to avoid falls.

Wear tight-weave canvas work pants, such as jeans, to protect legs from roof cement and nails. Do not wear shorts or cut-offs on a roof.

Wear eye goggles when driving shingles or any nails. Wash hands before eating, drinking, or smoking.

Clean hammer heads and other tools frequently when working with roofing cement. A hammer face that is covered with roofing cement may slip off the nail and damage the shingle or injure the worker.

Cutting the granules on shingles will quickly dull your knife blade. Dull blades cause accidents when you try to force a knife through the material. Replace the blade in your razor knife frequently to be sure it is sharp.

Ask the dealer to deliver new shingles on the roof. Most often, the truck driver will place the shingle bundles on the elevator, but you (or another workman) must be on the roof to remove the bundles from the elevator and position them on the roof.

If roofing in warm weather, work early and late, or during the coolest part of the day. If temperatures are above 80 degrees. you should delay roofing work until cooler weather so you won't damage the shingles.

When roofing, never step back to admire your work.

Written by Gary Branson.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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