The roofing game is a dangerous one, which is why this kind of work is so specialised. A professional roofer is a highly skilled tradesman and if you’re thinking of going out to undertake repairs to your roof, make sure you know exactly what you’re doing beforehand as one step out of place could prove very dangerous.
First thing’s first: if you have a steep pitch roof and it looks as if it will be too steep for you to work on safely, don’t try carrying out repairs yourself, call in the professionals.
Remember to never work on your roof after it’s been raining. Working on a wet roof is asking for problems, so choose a clear, calm day before you set to work on your roof repairs. Keep an eye on the weather. If it looks like rain, come down from the roof immediately. Also, make sure that you wear rubber soled shoes so that you have more grip.
Make sure that your roof is clean. A small pebble can create a hazard when you’re working on a roof, so beware of any loose debris.
Minimise the risk of you dropping tools from the roof, which can be a hazard for yourself if you instinctively try to prevent it from falling, as well as a danger to passers-by. Wear a tool belt to keep your tools safe while you’re working or use a bucket and a pulley system to transport your tools to and from the rooftop. It will also allow you to keep your hands free too, in case you need to steady yourself.
If there are people about or your property neighbours a public walkway where casual passers-by could get hurt by falling debris, you could cordon off an area below the spot where you’re working at a safe distance so that falling tools don’t cause harm to anybody else.
Use a strong extension ladder. When you’re placing the ladder, it should be angled at a safe distance. The rule of thumb when positioning your ladder is to make sure the ladder is angled at about a quarter of the ladder’s length away from the wall. In other words, if you have a 12-foot ladder, its base should be 3 foot away from the wall, and so on. Make sure the feet of the ladder are even – if they’re not, use plywood to even the ground below – and anchor the ladder at the top to a stable point on your roof. Use a ladder that’s taller than your roof so that you have something to hold onto when you’re climbing down. Getting back on to the ladder is even trickier than getting on to the roof in the first place. Be extra careful when you’re negotiating your way from the ladder to the roof and back again.
For extra peace of mind you can nail a strip of wood to act as a guard rail running along the edge of the roof where you’re working, or use roof brackets and secure them all the way along the eaves. This will act as a barrier so that if you should slip, you’ll hopefully be prevented from falling from the roof.
Never put the price of a professional roofer ahead of your own safety. If you’re not a confident DIY-er or you have any doubts about the safety of your roof, call a roofer – don’t attempt any roof repairs yourself.
For a trained roofer in your local area, call G&A Roofing and Building. We are a leading firm of roofers that provides emergency roof repairs, replacement roofs, chimney repairs and many other aspects of roofing work.
Call G&A to discuss your requirements with a professional roofer today. Contact us on 0800 626430.
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