Roofing... The Safe Way

 

​Demolition Debris

Replacing a roof is messy. Whether you are just installing new shingles, laying down new plywood sheathing, or even getting your gutters and downspouts replaced. There is going to be a lot of debris coming down throughout the project. To make sure we keep your property clean and free of any nails or scrap material, we lay down tarps around the entire house to catch everything. When demolition is over, we just fold the tarps and throw them in the dumpster. This way our final clean-up is just minimal to no debris left on the ground.

 

Safety

The first step in installing a new roof is to first take a step back and figure out the best way to access the roof. We look for an area with flat ground, that has enough space to be clear of any obstructions while setting up the ladder and while climbing up and down the ladder throughout the project. Once the ladder is setup at the proper 75* angle and is secured on the topside from any movement, we are ready to climb up the roof and fasten our anchor points at the ridge for our fall protection lines. Once the anchor plates are fastened, we latch our fall protection line onto our anchor point and then latch the other end to our harnesses. This PFA, or personal fall arrest, system is used to ensure that our workers are safe if they happen to slip during the project. Along with the fall protection, we make sure our guys wear personal protection equipment like gloves, glasses, and hard hats.

Demolition

Once safety and clean-up are taken care of, we then start to strip the roof of all pre-existing shingles, gutters, fascia, and soffit depending on the exact work requested. We work from the ridge down to the eaves, prying up and tossing all debris directly into the dumpster below. Once all the shingles are off, we then diagnose the plywood sheathing beneath. If there is need for replacement, we notify the homeowner and make the change order to account for the additional sheathing needed to make the replacement.  Once the roof deck is clear of all pre-existing materials, we make sure the plywood sheathing or alternative material used for the roof deck is all level. Once the roof deck is all clear, we are ready for installation.

 

​Installation [Brand: GAF Timberline HDZ]

We start with a leak barrier along the valleys, and around any penetrations on the roof like chimneys, skylights, or plumbing stacks. Then, we lay down the deck protection to act as an underlayment to the shingles. Next, we lay down the starter strips along the eaves and rakes of the roof, this is where we’ll start the courses when installing the shingles. Most of the work is installing the shingles. When staring a row of shingles, each course begins with a shingle that has been cut to a particular length. This creates an overlapping pattern between each course, giving the roof system its waterproofing quality. Once our crew has shingled up the roof to the ridge, they cut a rectangular opening on the ridge and install the outlet ventilation system. On top of the ventilation system, there will be the ridge caps to finish things off. We also offer intake ventilation systems, which are installed along the soffit to allow the air to come in. We recommend both an intake and outlet ventilation system to allow for proper airflow. Having these systems in place will regulate ventilation in attics by removing hot air to keep homes cool during summer, which will increase energy efficiency and therefore reducing cooling costs. Venting systems also come with a mesh on the back side to help keep insects and debris out.