The average solar pv system lasts more than 25 years. Depending on the age and condition of your home, that may be more time than your roof has left.
In cases where a roof is showing signs of structural damage, or if it is nearing the end of its life expectancy, your solar installer may recommend a full or partial roof replacement.
Roof replacement can be a pretty big disruption to your homelife, so it’s normal to wonder what to expect. In this blog post, we’ll help you prepare your home and your family for roof replacement prior to installing solar panels.
What Should You Expect During Roof Replacement?
Here are the things to expect during the re-roofing project.
- Demolition: Expect demolition as part of the re-roofing process. Your old roof will be removed in the initial stages of the project. There will be tons of debris and nails falling to the ground. Our roofing team will then conduct a ground clean-up exercise where they pick up all trash, carry out magnetic nail sweeps, and clean up the exterior floors. As much as possible, we try to eliminate all removable debris from the site. However, on completion of the project, we advise you to remain careful for a short period since there may still be hidden nails on the ground.
- Noise Pollution: Expect noise during the entire installation period. There will be banging, hammering, and other noises that may disrupt your normal routine.
- Removal of Non-roof Related Items: The homeowner should remove non-roof mounted items before the re-roofing process begins. Such materials as satellite dishes, antennas, et cetera, must be carefully removed and set aside to allow the process to run smoothly.
- Storage of Equipment and Materials: Our roofing team will coordinate with you to store materials in designated areas during the project.
- Control of Tree Bushes, flowers, and shrubbery: Any low-hanging tree branches sitting on the roof will require trimming or removal. Such control is essential to ensure nearby plants don’t hinder the roof installation.
How Should You Prepare for A Roof Replacement?
In order to help the project go smoothly and quickly, homeowners will need to make their property neat and easily accessible. Here are some things you can do to prepare for a roof replacement:
1. Prepare Your Yard
It would help if you prepared your yard to deal with falling debris from the demolition process in the following ways:
- Clear toys and relocate patio furniture.
- Relocate your vehicle(s) from the driveway and garage.
- Clear the lawn.
- Protect the plants – especially fragile or valuable trees.
- Mark sprinklers that you can’t remove.
- Cut your grass for easy removal of leftover debris.
- Talk to your immediate neighbors about your roof replacement plan to prepare them for potential disturbances.
2. Prepare Your Pets and Kids for Re-roofing
Ensure your pets and children are protected from the disruptive re-roofing process. You may have them stay with friends or neighbors to keep them safe during this period.
3. Preparation of the House for Roof Replacement
Prepare the house by conducting the following safety measures before the roofing team arrives.
- Remove fragile and vulnerable items from the attic to prevent them from getting damaged.
- Protect the garage if it’s built-in to the house.
- Secure the windows with boards for the re-roofing period.
- Remove all wall decorations, such as mirrors, pictures, and open shelving.
Get In Touch With The Experts
Whether you are looking for a full or partial re-roof for your home, or to prepare your home to go green with solar panel roofing, we offer only the best roofing products in the industry – AND the best warranty among all roofing contractors.
We are proud to be a GAF Master Elite Contractor for residential roofing – an honor only shared by 2 percent of roofing contractors in the entire United States. Contact us today to get started.
