There’s no better time to invest in a new roofing system than this spring. Ideal temperatures and overall pleasant weather, after all, allows for a smooth and hassle-free home improvement. To ensure the success of this endeavor, however, you’ll need to make sure that your investment is made with the right materials and is installed by an experienced team of professionals. More importantly, you must prepare for it so you can get the most out of it.
Here’s how to prepare for your upcoming roof installation project.
Preparing Your Home Interiors
One of the first things you can do before the roof installation starts is to prepare the inside of your home for what’s to come. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
- Take Down Hanging Photos, Glass Fixtures and Mirrors
You can expect a lot of heavy construction when the roofing project starts, which can cause some of your photos and mirrors on the walls to shift and vibrate. You might have to take these down to avoid damage. Do the same for any glass fixtures and other decorative items that might easily break or cause damage.
- Clear Your Attic of Any Valuables and Fragile Items
Trusted roofers will do their best to minimize the dust and debris created during the roof installation process. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to take any precautions to protect your valuables stored in the attic. Any jewelry, heirlooms, antiques or other irreplaceable items must be moved to a place that’s safe from the likely mess. If furniture or other similar items are too big or heavy to move, make sure to cover them with a plastic sheet, tarp or some other drop cloth to keep them safe from the falling dust and debris.
- Secure Your Children
You can expect your roof replacement project to be a long, loud job, which can be a big disturbance to your children. It can also make them curious about what’s happening above their heads, which means they may try to wander in and around your home to get closer to your roof. If they get too excited, they might even run around carelessly and start playing with an unsupervised power tool or hardware. - Thus, always make sure that you or your spouse watches over your children throughout the roofing project. If your children are old enough, be sure to explain to them about what’s going on and tell them to be more careful. They’ll also need to wear shoes all the time to avoid getting cuts and scrapes from the fallen debris. If you’re unable to watch over your children, you can always have them stay over at a relative’s place until the roofers are done with their job.
- Don’t Forget Your Pets
You’ll also need to protect your pets while construction is ongoing as the noise can be disruptive and unpleasant to them at times. The new faces and strangers constantly walking around can also make them feel anxious or hostile to them. If you think that your pets aren’t able to adjust to the unfamiliar environment, have a friend or neighbor watch over them!
Preparing Your Home Exteriors
Depending on the size of your roof, it may take your roofing contractor almost two days to install a new roof over your home. Here’s how you can prepare and protect your home’s exteriors:
- Protect Your Windows
Some of the dust and debris falling from your roof during the removal of the old roofing materials may hit your windows, causing scratches or even racks. We recommend putting wooden boards over them (at least the ones on the upper floors) until your old roof is completely torn off.
- Tell Your Neighbors About Your Roofing Project
The noise is something you need to anticipate in this kind of home improvement. It can go on for most of the day, which could cause disruptions among your neighbors. Notify them about it in advance (especially the ones next to your home and across the street) to minimize unpleasant and unnecessary confrontations. Giving them the early notice also allows them to make the necessary preparations like moving their parked vehicles out of the way or cleaning and preparing their yard if some of the debris may land aimlessly on their property.
- Prepare Your Garage
At least a day before the roofers arrive, park your car at a distance from your home. If you think that it’s more protected if it’s parked in your garage, you should know that your garage roof isn’t probably as well-protected and insulated as the rest of your roof. That means it’s almost just as exposed to the nails and debris that may fall from your roof. Parking the vehicle across the street should suffice, but be sure to inform your neighbors first. The roofers will also most likely use the electrical outlets in your garage for their power tools and equipment. This is because the garage usually has its own circuits, so the risk of overloading is low even while they use their tools and equipment. Another alternative is leaving a door or window open near an outlet that the roofers can use. The driveway should be cleared as well; this will serve as the staging area for the roofing materials that will be delivered to your home on the day of the installation.
Making the most of your roof installation project begins with ensuring the success of the entire process. To guide you toward that goal, you need to work with a reputable roofer like AQ Roofing LLC. When you choose us for your project, you can be confident that your property is in good hands. Expect our highly trained roofing pros to deliver an aesthetically pleasing, high-performance roofing system that will complement the rest of your home and provide top-notch weather performance.
Let us get started with your roof installation plans! Give us a call at (501) 951-1683, or fill out our convenient online contact form. We look forward to working with you!