In almost any roof replacement project, you’ll find dust and debris from old materials scattered all over the worksite. Professional contractors will usually clean up the mess during and after the renovation process as part of the job, but it’s still important to take precautions to protect your property during any remodeling project to prevent accidental damage from the debris.
What You Can Expect in a Roofing Project
Deciding to replace your roof means going through several steps to ensure it gets done smoothly. One of the first is often looking for the right contractor for the job. It’s a big investment for your home, and with a contractor who listens to your needs and preferences, it becomes easier to understand how your new roof can be built. They’ll also talk about how they’ll take precautions to minimize dust and debris to prevent them from affecting your home exterior or surrounding landscape.
During your upcoming roof replacement, there’s always a chance that the mess from old materials might still fall off the wrong way and cause accidental damage. If proper precautions weren’t taken, not only will it lead to costly property damage and repairs but also potentially injure unsuspecting children or pets.
Protecting Your Property
Working with a professional roofing company such as Redemption Roofing reduces the likelihood of property damage on your home exterior, garden, and landscape. However, it still doesn’t hurt to implement a few additional precautions yourself. Consider these useful tips:
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Cut the Grass – This is a good way to ensure safety at the worksite before the roof renovation starts. While most contractors will use tarps and drop cloths to protect your landscaping and grass, they’ll only cover around five to 10 feet within the immediate perimeter of your home’s structure. Some debris can still fall further outward, so make sure to cut the grass properly so that it’s easier to spot and clear out smaller debris!
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Inspect Your Surroundings – Do a simple stroll around your home’s exteriors and landscape before the project starts. Your roofing and storm damage contractor will also do this and take note of any pre-existing damage or other issues by taking pictures or videos of the area. They’ll do this to bring your attention to certain damage that you might not notice before the roof replacement starts. The pictures and videos will also serve as proof that they won’t be falsely accused of the damage after the roofing job has been completed.
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Check the Nearby Landscape – Don’t forget to inspect the landscape near your roof before starting the renovation process. All the shrubs, bushes, and gardens around your home’s exterior must be covered by cloth or tarp to protect them from falling debris and materials throughout the roof renovation process. Doing this also avoids costly damage and injury!
Pools, patio, decks, jacuzzis and other areas of your landscape can also be susceptible to damage from the roofing process. Even at a safe distance away from your roof, dust and debris can still affect these areas, especially during windy weather. This is why it’s still important to take precautions to cover them, especially during windy weather.
Smaller plants and flowers will also need additional precautionary measures to ensure they won’t get trampled accidentally throughout the roofing process. This can be done by placing a cloth over some lengths of lumber that are carefully angled and leaning against the house walls. Your hired contractor will also schedule the roofing project based on the weather forecasts in your area. They’ll pick a sunny day to build your roof while also taking additional steps to protect your property in case of strong winds.
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Ensure the Work Site Stays Clean – Your hired roof repair and replacement contractor will have all the tools necessary to keep the worksite clean during the roofing process. You can also ensure that your garden and landscape stay clean by using a magnetic sweeper to sweep the area and catch nails and other small metal debris. Other tools that help in keeping the site clean include brooms, rakes, and garbage cans, to name a few.
Your hired contractor will also determine where to appropriately place the trash bin or dumpster to efficiently dispose of the old roofing material. They’re usually placed on your driveway, which can scratch and dent the pavement if not properly protected. They’ll usually put plywood sheets underneath to protect them. Tarps can also be laid over the pavement to place the new roofing materials such as shingles or tiles. Keep in mind that they shouldn’t be placed in soft areas such as grass to prevent ruts from forming in the landscape.
Other Roofing Tips to Consider
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Cover Your Attic Furniture – Whether you use your attic as a storage area or an additional bedroom, if it’s full of items and furniture, they’ll get dirty and dusty if they’re not covered during the roof repair and replacement process. Make sure to use old sheets or drop cloths over them to prevent debris and dirt from damaging them.
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Provide Enough Power Outlets – The workers on your roofing project need access to your home’s electrical outlets, so be sure to mark the external ones that they can use. Most garages also run on a separate circuit, so it’s recommended to let them use the power outlets to prevent overloading while using their equipment. If you don’t have any exterior outlets, you can always run extension cords from the garage or even the interior of your home.
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Inform Your Neighbors – Before the roof construction begins, make sure to inform your neighbors about the upcoming project. All the noise and commotion that happens during a roofing project can be brief, but it’s still enough to distract and anger your neighbors if they weren’t previously warned. The dust and debris can also fall into their yard depending on the weather and their proximity, but if you properly warn them about what may happen during the roofing process, they’ll usually understand.
Call Redemption Roofing today for any of your roof replacement and storm damage needs. Contact us at 936-321-3733 if you’re from Montgomery, 281-205-1337 if you live in League City, 830-214-7779 if you’re in Hill Country, (409) 403-5073 for Golden Triangle residents, or (337) 305-7705 if you’re in Lake Charles. You can also fill out our convenient request form online!