Being a homeowner is a huge milestone. Many people work years to achieve this goal, and it remains one of the key cornerstones of the American Dream in many people’s eyes.
Of course, just like many dreams – once you obtain it, you have to maintain it. Homeownership is a blessing, but it’s one that comes with many responsibilities. There’s a lot to care for when it comes to a home and there’s a lot to be aware of.
A roof installation is one such task that many homeowners probably don’t know how to make heads or tails of. When repairing or replacing the roof of a property, several things must be done in preparation. It’s important to be familiar with these steps if you want the process to run smoothly.
What do you need to know? Read on and we’ll walk you through the details.
Clear The Area Around Your Home
Safety first should be the motto when it comes to all construction jobs, but it’s certainly essential when it comes to a job as big as a roof repair or roof replacement.
One safety step that you might not think of is actually critical to remember: clear the area around your home before any work begins. You never know what might fall from above when this work is being done, and you don’t want it to damage anything or harm anyone when it does.
That means, yes, moving your car out of the way of danger, whether that be in the garage or out on the street.
Moving your vehicle will also make it easier for those coming to work on the roof to do their job. Lots of tools and gear need unloading, and it’ll be easier to do this as close to the home as possible.
This also includes moving and storing your patio furniture. That includes chairs and couches but also grills, potted plants, lawn ornaments, and anything of v
Protect Belongings in Your Attic
The items that will be most at risk during this kind of work are logically the items that will be closest to the work itself. That would be whatever you’re currently storing in the attic of your home.
It’s common for a decent amount of dust and debris to be knocked into the attic when roof repair or replacement is being done.
Anything that is fragile or precious to you should be removed from the attic prior to work beginning and stored somewhere safe. Other belongings should be covered and protected from dust but can remain in the attic during the work.
It’s easy to forget about these items since you don’t see them in your day-to-day, but you don’t want to leave them behind in your preparations!
Clear the Roof of Branches and Debris
Depending on the area you live in, you might experience a large amount of debris that falls to your rooftop. In preparing for roof-related work, you’ll want to take the time to clear some of this debris out of the way so that the work can proceed uninterrupted.
If there are low-hanging branches over your roof, you may want to trim and clear these before work begins as well. Roofers should be able to access your work without having to navigate around obstacles such as these.
If you want the job at hand to be done efficiently, the best thing you can do ahead of time is to set up a clear and proper work area for the team.
If you do climb up to the roof to handle this cleanup yourself, just remember to be careful!
Identify Power Outlets for Use
When roofing contractors arrive at your home, they will need access to electrical outlets while they are on your roof. Ideally, these outlets will be located on the exterior of your home.
As these outlets might get less use from you, it’s important to take the time to search them out ahead of workers arriving. Being able to point the team toward potential sources of power quickly will help the whole job run much more quickly.
What if your home doesn’t have exterior outlets? Some homes don’t.
In this case, the best move might be to use a garage outlet if it exists. Most homes do have some sort of power in the garage. In a worst-case scenario, you can run an extension cord out the window of your home to the roof.
Just remember that extension cords can create tripping hazards, so try and align the cord in a way that won’t present a risk to yourself or the workers.
Give Your Neighbors a Warning
A thoughtful and helpful thing to do is let your neighbors know about the work that is going to going on. Give them the dates and the expected times of the work and they can plan their schedule around this.
They’ll likely be thankful to you for the heads up! This also will help avoid any stress or complaints while the work is being done.
Preparing a Home for Roof Installation
A roof installation can be a big job, and there’s a lot to do ahead of time to help ensure this work runs smoothly. The above are just some of the more common tasks you can take on to help prepare your home for upcoming roofing services.
Have more questions about roof replacement or repair? Learn more about CK Contracting services‘ in roof installation and repair.
