When you haven’t ever experienced what happens during a roof replacement, it might come as a surprise to learn that it is a detailed, noisy, messy, somewhat lengthy and very interesting process. There are many things to know beforehand to be prepared for the situation before during and after the process of roof replacement.
Roof Replacement Checklist
Cleanup and Protect
Remove or cover any outdoor lighting, patio umbrellas, glass tables, yard décor, bird baths and alike. Falling debris can fall onto or into the things in your yard. Furthermore, make sure your grill is covered or stored out of the way, remove any toys around the immediate area of the exterior of your home and cover any ponds you may have on your property. Don’t forget to also cover items in your attic as well.
Similarly, you will want to protect the items in your home. If you have fragile plates lining the walls, cherished artwork or anything else that might potentially fall from excessive shaking caused by the roof replacement process.
Cut the Grass
If you take the time to cut the grass, cleanup will be more successful as well as easier for the crew. Long grasses can hide debris. Our crew does everything the can to keep debris to a minimum, but it is impossible to find every errant shingle or other debris in long grass. The mowing doesn’t need to be done the same day as the roofing project, but it is a great idea to do it the day prior or at most a few days prior. The shorter the grass, the better.
Clear the Driveway for Roof Replacement
If you park your cars, motorcycles, RV’s or similar vehicles near your home, be sure to move them out of the debris zone. It is typically adequate to move vehicles out to the street, but if the street parking is very near your home, it might be a better plan to park elsewhere for the day. We don’t want anything happening to your vehicles or RV’s, so please be sure that your vehicles are out of the immediate area prior to the crew arriving.
On that note, it is likely that you will need a dumpster dropped off by waste management and a flat dropped for the lumber needed during roof replacement. If you can clear an area in the front yard for these large items, you will be helping this process go more smoothly. It is all temporary and your efforts enable the roof replacement to go efficiently.
Be Prepared for Noise
Oftentimes, people who would ordinarily be home during the day find that they prefer to leave the house during roofing hours. The process is loud. The scraping, bumping, thumping and nailing is extremely loud. There is no quiet way to replace a roof, so if you cannot go downstairs or do not have a downstairs to your home, it would be best to go out for the day. Do not forget the comfort of your pets as well – the noise can be especially hard on them!
If you have the opportunity, it is also courteous to let your neighbors know that you will be having your roof redone. Some roofs can take several days to complete and the parents with babies in the neighborhood will thank you for the sound warning.
If you cannot get out of the house during roof replacement, consider getting a sound machine from Amazon. It might help distract everyone from the noise.
Keep in Contact with Roofer During Roof Replacement
If you plan on leaving the home for the day, be sure to leave contact information for the roofer. If at all possible, provide your roofer with two means of contact. In the event on an emergency, the more lines of communication there are the better.
If you need your roof replaced, contact Western Construction & Roofing today by calling (208) 889-3761 or visiting our contact page.