How To Prepare Your Home — Inside And Out — For A Roof Replacement

Getting a new roof can be an exciting project. You get a fresh look for your home exterior, and it can help your energy efficiency. But if you want to have a seamless roof installation experience, you’ll need to make some preparations. With these tips, you’ll know what you need to do to ensure that your home is ready for your new roof.  

Communicate About Expectations 

Before you make any assumptions about what you should do in preparation for your roof replacement, start by talking to the contractor directly. Ideally, your contractor has already visited your home and performed a basic inspection of your roof. Ask your contractor what you should expect from the process and about any tips they can provide in the days before the installation. They may have suggestions or requirements that aren’t on this list, so be sure to take notes and ask for clarification if there’s anything you don’t understand. 

Ensure Access 

Your roofing team will need to get access to your home exterior frequently throughout the day, so you should confirm that they have easy entry. Identify the location of all entry points to the property and relay that information to your contractor. Unlock the gates and make sure that they open and close easily. If the roofing team needs access to power during the installation, test the exterior outlets and verify that they work. If your air conditioning unit sits close to your home, consider turning it off and covering it to protect it from falling debris, as you would during roof maintenance services. 

Prepare Home Exterior and Landscaping 

Getting a new roof can be somewhat messy, with debris piling up outside during the removal of the old material. To minimize problems and damage to your landscaping, you should take some time to prepare your exterior property in advance: 

• Relocate patio furniture away from the home. 

• Put children’s toys in the garage or shed. 

• Move planters to another spot in the yard. 

• Cover plants and shrubs near the home. 

• Mow the lawn to make cleanup easier. 

• Move vehicles to the street. 

For larger or seasonal items that you want to keep safely out of the way during the installation, renting a temporary self-storage unit can offer added peace of mind. The tidier your yard is before the start of the project, the easier it will be to reset it. 

Secure Attic Belongings 

If you keep some of your belongings in the attic, take a moment to secure them. If you cannot easily remove them and put them in a room in your home during the project, consider covering them with a tarp. Avoid leaving precious, irreplaceable, or high-value items in the attic.  

Protect Fragile Items 

During installation, you may notice hammering or other activities that cause the walls to vibrate. In order to protect your fragile or delicate items in the home, you should remove them from the walls. Take porcelain figurines and other collectibles off shelves, wrap them, and put them into a box for temporary storage. Remove framed photos and other wall hangings.  

Prepare Your Neighbors, Pets, and Children 

Replacing your roof can create some disruption to your routine and to the routines of those who live with you or nearby. Before installation day, talk to your neighbors and let them know what to expect. If you need them to trim trees or other landscaping before installation, give them plenty of time to do so. If you have pets or young children, consider asking a friend or family member to take them out for the day. Otherwise, create barriers to keep them from getting into spaces that are unsafe while the roofing team is working. 

Having a contractor replace your roof can be easier than you think. If you follow these tasks and coordinate with your contractor, you’ll have everything you need to make installation as simple as possible.  

Author bio: Jack B Gray is President of Ariat Roofing, Inc., a trusted, family-owned roofing contractor that has been serving residential and commercial clients in the Las Vegas Valley since 2009. Gray and his team have many years of experience in the roofing industry and understand the importance of a solid and secure roofing system when it comes to providing protection for and adding value to your home. 

SOURCES 

https://www.kmroofpros.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-a-roof-replacement-a-homeowners-step-by-step-guide 

https://www.ontopsroofing.com/blog/protect-home-during-roof-replacement