Pre-inspections and Preparation Can Be Critical

Before installation begins, our professional roof consultants will do a complete inspection of your home’s interior, exterior and attic space. Your family’s safety is the most important issue to us, and as you read further you will learn why these inspections are critical in that regard. Understanding the responsibilities shared by you and your contractor also will ensure peace of mind and satisfaction with your finished project.

Your roofing consultant will review all other specific inspections that are necessary for your individual roof installation. They will share their findings and will always be available to discuss any concerns you may have. Our professional consultants have been trained to check for most hazards. However, they are not licensed electricians or HVAC specialists. We highly recommend you have licensed professionals conduct a complete evaluation prior to the installation of a new roof.

Illegally Run Electrical Wiring (Predominately associated with wood shingle roofs)

Electrical wires strung up and over the rafters are a fire hazard. Fasteners penetrating the wire insulation can cause a short circuit resulting in a fire. Wires not capable of being seen from the attic, such as in the soffit areas or under a vaulted ceiling, will only be found once the roof has been removed. Unfortunately, many roofing companies will not bring this to a customer’s attention. They will simply “mark” the decking where the electrical lines are run and hope they don’t pierce them. If improperly run wires are found, you will need to immediately have them removed by a licensed electrician.

HVAC freon lines are also impossible to see and if installed improperly could be pierced. We ask for your understanding that we cannot take responsibility for pre-existing problems that are uncovered. A word of caution here & with an old wood shingle roof, there is a likelihood of electrical wires being chewed by squirrels or other rodents, which can result in unprotected wires. These wires could cause electrocution or fire.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

During the installation process our crews will need to flash the exhaust vents on the roof. It is important to remember that even the slightest disturbance on the roof can dislodge the elbows and fittings of exhaust vents in your attic or closet area without the crew’s knowledge. This can cause a deadly carbon monoxide leak. You should purchase a carbon monoxide detector if you do not have one or check the batteries on the one you already own. This is critical to home safety. Our consultants will inspect the HVAC, gas and hot water exhaust pipes, but once again, we suggest having these fittings screwed together by a licensed HVAC professional prior to the installation of a new roof. It is imperative that you do daily inspections of these vents since we do not have access to your home during installation.

Children And Pets

Roofing your home creates a temporary construction site that children often find intriguing. Because some material and equipment will probably be left overnight, it is important to remind children of the dangers. Metal flashing can cut like a razor.

Nails, felt caps and ladders are other typical hazards. For their safety, children should be kept away from the work area at all times. Pets can find strangers and noise very unnerving. If you have a pet that you believe is uncomfortable in this situation, we advise having it boarded during the application.

Pools & Spas

Pools and spas can be damaged by debris. Nails can stain the plaster, or a pool vacuum can suck one up, damaging expensive equipment. Because our company is concerned with your property’s protection, we tarp your pool and spa with poly propylene prior to installation.

Even with this precaution, windy days can result in small amounts of sawdust and shingle granules entering your pool. Though it is doubtful this would hurt your pool, we recommend that you turn the pumps off during installation. A pool cleaning should be scheduled after your new roof is installed. Keeping your family members away from the tarped pool is imperative. A covered pool looks like an inviting play ground, but can be extremely dangerous if one were to fall in on top of the tarp.

Vibration And Dust

You will hear and sometimes feel the vibration of several crew members on your roof transporting roofing material, hammering, sawing and tearing off shingles. During a tear off or redeck these conditions are most prevalent. We recommend that you remove all of your loose or breakable items from walls and shelves to protect them from damage and to protect your family members from falling objects. Vibration will cause dust to fall through light fixtures, A/C vents and other ceiling penetrations. It is best not have anyone who is allergic or asthmatic to dust, be present during the installation process.

Another concern, especially when working with vaulted ceilings, is the possibility of nail pops and small cracks in the tape and bed as a result of vibration. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to prevent the possibility of this from happening and we ask our customers to please understand.

Noise

There is no way around it, construction is noisy. Fortunately, the noise doesn’t last long, and it results in a beautiful product. Be mentally prepared for the sound of constant hammering and banging for two or more days, depending on the size of your roof.

Please discuss any concerns about noise during nap times, etc., with your consultant prior to installation. Although we can’t hammer more quietly, we will try to accommodate your individual needs.

Landscaping & Sprinkler Systems

We appreciate and understand the time and expense in the design and upkeep of your landscaping. Our crews are extremely conscientious in trying to avoid damaging this investment and will do their best to ensure a careful installation. Some disturbances are unavoidable.

In order to minimize these possible disturbances, we ask you to turn off your automatic sprinkler systems a day or two before the installation begins to protect your lawn against foot traffic. It is also wise to mow your yard the day before installation begins. It is a lot easier to find nails and other debris in grass that is not knee deep.

Tree Trimming

Trees can be a major cause of premature wearing of a roof. Besides damaging shingles when the wind blows, leaf debris building up in the valley areas can promote shingle-deteriorating algae to grow. Trees are also very difficult and dangerous to work around when installing a new roof. If your trees need to be pruned in order to keep limbs off the roof, please do so before the project begins. Our crews are exceptional roofers, not tree trimmers.

Skylights

In order to properly re-flash your skylights, we must remove the skylight frame and domes. When the domes are removed, the tape and bedding stuck to the inside of the skylight frame occasionally cracks and peels. This is unavoidable, especially in the case of bathroom and kitchen skylights. These skylights are subjected to high humidity caused by cooking and bathing, which makes the tape and bedding more susceptible to damage when disturbed. Please cover or remove anything that might be damaged by falling dust and debris. Additionally, if your home has bathroom skylights, please remember to schedule bathing times appropriately.

Attic Entrances and Stored Items

Items stored in your attic are subject to dust and debris during the removal of an existing roof. This is especially true if the roof being removed is a wood shingle roof. If this is the case, no matter how careful the crews are, there will be some debris that gets into the attic. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution to this problem.

Trying to tarp an attic floor is almost an impossible task in itself, along with the extreme likelihood of a crewmember falling or stepping through the ceiling. However, upon completion of a wood shingle tear off, a couple of our more sure- footed crewmembers will carefully clean up the majority of the debris. Before the installation of your new roof, it may be wise to cover the items stored in your attic. It is important to remember to be careful when opening the attic hatch for the first time after a new roof is installed to prevent harm to you or your family members from any dust or debris, which
may fall.

Circuit Breakers

Our crews use power tools and air compressors during a project, so it is important that we have access to electrical outlets. Most of the time, the outside outlets we use are on the same circuit as the garage fuse. If a refrigerator or freezer is present in the garage and a breaker is tripped, it can cause damage to your food items.

If other circuit breakers are tripped inside the home, it could cause possible damage to medical equipment or computers, as well as other sustained electrical items. Please make sure precautionary actions are taken to prevent any unfortunate situations. It is also important that we have a reliable contact telephone number, so that you can be notified if a circuit breaker is tripped.

Exterior Home Protection

Some minor home exterior damage can occur during a major construction project. A quality contractor, however, should know how to prevent most of these incidents. That is why we cover A/C units, windows and screens, move lawn furniture and do our best to be consistently professional and courteous at all times.

We ask that homeowners help us protect their home and that they maintain a helpful and courteous manner as we work together for a successful project completion.

Gutter Damage Prevention

Roofing Outfitters uses “U” shaped attachments to keep ladders from damaging gutters. These attachments prevent the ladders from coming in contact with the gutters and also stabilize the ladders for the crew’s safety. Very few companies take the initiative to equip themselves this properly.

Even though we take every precaution to protect your gutter’s system, one slip can send a shingle sliding down the roof, resulting in a small dent or scratch. A small amount of damage is sometimes unavoidable; however, we will instantly repair any major damage to your gutters.

Access To Your Home

Before construction begins, you should clear one side of your driveway for the placement of your roofing materials. We will need access on both sides of the driveway for our trucks to gather and remove debris during the installation of your new roof. We will tarp under our work vehicles to prevent oil stains on the driveway and street.

We ask that you keep cars, boats, and trailers away from the area during installation to ensure that they are protected.

We also will need access to all areas of your yard for cleanup. Please remove pets from your backyard and have all gates unlocked for this purpose.