Choosing and Living With a Roof
Lesson 21. What Happens on Tear Off Day
A roof replacement is one loud day, and most of what can go wrong is decided in the first two hours, before any roofing happens.
At a Glance
- Move cars, and take pictures off the walls underneath
- Protection goes down before anything comes off
- Expect noise and vibration through the whole house
- A magnet over the yard twice is the sign of a good crew
The Day Before
- Move both cars out of the driveway and off the street in front
- Take pictures and mirrors off the walls in rooms directly under the roof
- Move anything breakable off shelves, and anything stored in the attic away from the deck
- Cover things in the garage. Dust comes through the ceiling of an attached garage
- Mow the lawn, which makes finding stray nails far easier afterward
- Tell your neighbors. It is going to be loud from seven in the morning
- Plan for pets. The noise is genuinely distressing to most dogs
The Order of the Day
- Seven to eight. The crew arrives, the dumpster is placed, protection goes down
- Eight to eleven. Tear off. This is the loudest part by far
- Around eleven. Decking inspected and any bad sheets replaced
- Eleven to one. Ice and water shield, underlayment, drip edge
- One to five. Shingles go on, from the eave up
- Late afternoon. Ridge vent and ridge cap, which finishes the roof
- Before leaving. Cleanup, and a magnet over the yard and the driveway
Rain changes this. A good crew only tears off what it can dry in that day, so a doubtful forecast means a smaller section opened at a time.
What a Good Crew Does
- Tarps and plywood down before the first shingle comes off
- Cuts around plants rather than dropping debris on them
- Keeps the dumpster off the driveway apron or puts boards down
- Walks every square foot of decking rather than glancing at it
- Runs the magnet twice, including the street and the neighbor's edge
- Walks the job with you at the end and shows you the ridge and the flashing
Worth knowing. Nails in the driveway are the single most common complaint after a roof. It is entirely a cleanup issue and it is entirely preventable.
Afterward
Expect to find a few nails for a week or two whatever anybody does. Run a magnet yourself once more after the first rain, which settles the grass and brings them up.
Look at your ceilings for new cracks. A tear off shakes a house and old plaster occasionally shows it. Mention it right away if you see it rather than months later.