Working on your home is always an uplifting experience, especially when an enormous venture like a roof replacement. The entire family may want to watch the roofers in awe as they rip and tear the old roof, and the whole household is excited about the change.
However, it would be best to keep in mind that your home becomes a working zone when the roofing company sends its workers to your address. Work zones pose various hazards, most of them unexpected for the inexperienced owner who changes their roof for the first time.
To make your new roof replacement process as smooth as possible, you must prepare several things before the roofers arrive.
Preparing House for Roof Replacement
We’ve prepared eight quick tips to help you streamline the operations and make them accessible for everyone involved.
Remove Wall Decorations
Machinery produces vibrations that sometimes travel through your walls, especially if the existing deck needs repair. Vibrations may cause your paintings, photos, or other hanging objects to fall and break into pieces. To keep your decorations whole, take a walk around the rooms and check for any items hanging from your walls or ceiling. Anything that isn’t permanently sealed to a wall or ceiling may fall and break during working hours.
It’s best to remove the decorations before the company arrives and put them away to keep them safe during your new roof construction..
Relocate your Children and Pets
How loud is roof replacement? It’s loud enough to traumatize your dog, that’s for sure.
With kids or pets in the house, no matter how interested they may be in watching the workers finish the job, having them around the work area is utterly unsafe. Additionally, loud noises usually cause significant stress in children and animals.
Have a calm talk with your kids and explain that they should stay away from some house regions until the workers finish the roof replacement. Moreover, since young children and animals aren’t always able to understand the full extent of danger lurking, it’s best to take them to visit family or friends during the process.
Protect Your Belongings
People store all sorts of belongings in their attic areas. Keep in mind there will be many people walking on your roof and the attic during a roof replacement. They will pound the zone with hammers, and there will be lots of debris in the attic during the process.
If you have personal items stored in the attic, it’s best to relocate them during the roof replacement, or you can cover them to protect them. Use aged clothes or old sheets for covers to keep your belongings safe. No matter how careful the workers are, you will probably need to do some attic cleaning and vacuuming after they finish work to remove dust from roof replacement.
Keep Your Furniture Away
You’ll need to keep all patio furniture away from the zone where you expect the workers to circulate. If you have a garage or a shed, it’ll be best to store your outdoor furniture over there during roof installation.
Consider moving potted plants, lawn ornaments, grills, and patio furniture away from the working zone. Also, remember to move the items yourself because most contractors won’t help you move the objects, whether inside or outside the house. Their job is to replace the roof, not help you out with your stuff.
Check Your Power Outlets
To give you a new house roof, contractors will need constant access to electrical outlets during the installation. Exterior outlets are most convenient, but the second-best choice should be your garage outlet if you don’t have them.
If you don’t own a garage or there isn’t any outlet outside, remember to get extension cords that are secure enough to run through windows and doors. Since extension cords may pose a danger of tripping, it’s best to choose an outlet spot that won’t be too crowded during roof replacement.
Notify the Neighborhood
A roof replacement notice to residents in nearby houses will save you a lot of trouble down the lane. It’s always good to notify your neighbors about the roof replacement process. How long does it take to replace a roof? Find out and give your neighbors a timeline. They will be thankful you’re giving them a chance to adjust their schedules to avoid the noisiest segments or to at least be prepared.
Cut The Grass and Trim the Trees
If you have any trees with branches hanging near the roof, you’ll need to trim them before the roofing company starts working. Some companies use vinyl tarps to cover your grass and protect it during the process. However, they won’t cut the grass for you – you’ll need to do that before they arrive. When the grass is short, cleaning up debris after finished work is far easier than cleaning up tall grass.
