Preparing for a New Roof Installation

Getting a new roof is a noteworthy investment. It adds fresh beauty to your home and you will no longer fret when the rain comes. The benefits of going ahead with a new roof installation are numerous. A good roofing company will leave no stone unturned, from taking off your old roof to ensuring your yard stays safe throughout the process. Yet, there are some things you will need to do on your own part for the job to go on smoothly. These will help you through the process:

1.      PREPARING THE INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE

a.      Remove Valuables from the Attic

A good roofing company will minimize the quantity of dust resulting from the roof installation, but the fact remains that roof installation is a dusty job. Remove any important stuff or valuables from the attic to prevent permanent damage. If some items are too heavy to move, consider covering them up with plastic sheets. Some light vacuuming will be necessary once the installation is complete.

b.      Make arrangements for your family

Roof installation is a very noisy venture. Talk to your children and explain to them why certain areas of the house will be off-limits for the time. While an adult should be on ground to inspect the work in progress, children and pets don’t need to be around during all the noise. It is best that you drop them off at a relative’s or a friend’s place.

c.       Take off wall decorations

There will be some vibration in the house once the hammering starts at the top. Take down valuable wall décor ahead of time, including mirrors, hanging pictures, loose shelves, etc. Keep an eye out for decorations that haven’t been securely fastened to the wall with screws.

d.      Protect fragile belongings

The vibrations traveling around the house has the potential to hurt your fragile items such as china plates or dolls. Collect these items together and carry them over to a safe place.

2.      PREPARING THE SPACE AROUND THE PROPERTY

e.       Clear the drive and remove your vehicles

Accidents can occur during new roof installation, and equipment might fall off and crack the windscreen of your car. The contractors will need to use your parking space for their trucks to enable them reach their equipment faster and load debris into the truck. Keep your car covered a far distance away. The swimming pool should also be covered with a tarp. If you have air conditioners sitting next to your home, cover the top with plywood to prevent debris to falling into it.

f.           Remove antennas, satellite dishes and other roof fixtures

Make a quick call to your cable providers and make arrangements to have the dishes removed for the period of time in which the roofing will last. This will even be an opportunity to dispose of old and non-working units.    

g.       Mark Plants and sprinklers

 In case you have young and tender plants around your property, you can mark then with brightly colored tape so the contractors will be careful and not trample on them. Also mark sprinklers and any other thing embedded in the ground that the contractors can trip over.   

h.      Trim the grass around your property

You will have to deal with long tree branches that reach toward your rooftop, cut them off before work begins. Make use of vinyl tarps to protect plants and grasses around your yard. Trim the grasses very low to the ground so that it will easier to carry out a thorough nail sweep using magnets once the job is complete.

i.         Identify the most accessible power outlets

The contractors will need a source for power supply to machines. Exterior outlets are the best options, but in absence of none, you can go with the garage outlet. An extension cord can also be passed through a window to send power outside the house. They shouldn’t be placed at points in the house that comes with a lot of foot traffic to prevent tripping.   

j.        Inform the neighbors

Give your neighbors prior information about the upgrade happening in your house. There is a chance of the noise and debris spilling into their property. Keep them informed to help them prepare for whatever is coming. They may have elderly ones at home who might be traumatized by the noise. You might never know.

3.      TALK TO A ROOFING EXPERT

The best way to prepare for a roof installation is to talk to an expert. An expert will give you the best advice to get your roof installed successfully, and also help you address the after installation issues. Working with and expert will make the process a lot easier.