A roofing project can be one messy job. Whether you’re doing the work yourself or have hired a professional roofing company, the work doesn’t stop when the new roof in finally installed. You still have the cleanup of roofing material to take care of.
A good roofing contractor will provide a free estimate and elbow grease for cleanup at the end of the job as part of the contract. But what if this cleanup doesn’t happen? You may be left with some cleanup tasks to complete.
If you are doing all the roof maintenance work yourself, this step is crucial to finishing the job so your home looks good and your family is safe. No one wants to spend more time than necessary finishing up a roofing job.
When the post-job cleanup is not done correctly, you can end up with debris around your home that could cause injury to your family or pets. You could end up with a flat tire from nail debris or damaged lawn equipment. Cleanup after a roofing replacement is one of the most important parts of the job.
In North America, roof replacements comprise about 94% of all jobs with roofing needs, with the remainder working on new construction roofing projects. When you replace a roof, the old roof is most often removed first. This generates an enormous amount of waste and debris.
It’s not necessarily difficult to clean your roof. However, care must be taken to pick up all of the roofing material from the big pieces to the small debris.
There are no national or regional standards or certifications for roofing contractors. It is an ugly secret in the roofing industry that some roofing contractors are not honest or trustworthy.
Some are simply storm chasers who go from area to area and don’t have ties in the community. Some roofers prey on seniors and retirees, offering a low price for a quick job with cash paid up front. They may not even do the job or may not do it properly.
Unfortunately, sometimes a job may not be completed in the best way possible. One neglected job is the post-installation cleanup process. While this work is not difficult, and in fact is the fastest part of the job, you may find yourself needing to clean up after the crew leaves.
If there is no mention of cleanup in the estimate or contract, this should raise red flags. Ask questions about how this will be handled, and don’t sign the contract if you don’t get a satisfactory answer.
If you have some cleanup to do after a professional roofing job, these tips will make the work go quickly. If you are doing the work yourself, the best approach is to clean up as you work on your roof replacement. This keeps the area cleaner and safer.
You also will have it easier at the final cleanup. Rather than having to deal with piled-up debris like falling leaves, wood scraps, tree branches, peeling paint, shingles, and other problem spots, homeowners should take a little bit of effort to keep their property pristine.
Place a tarp on the ground near your work area to catch any stray debris, covering much of the ground around your house. Since much of the debris from a roof repair job is small, a tarp is an effective and easy way to catch those smaller pieces and keep them out of your lawn or shrubs.
Nails from a roofing job scatter easily throughout a lawn and other landscaping. If the roofing nails are not all collected, they pose a risk to people and pets. A grassy lawn can hide stray nails. You, your children, and your pets can step on these nails and get painful injuries.
Hidden nails also damage lawn equipment. When a lawnmower runs over a nail, it can damage the mower or be shot out as a flying projectile. This is very dangerous to you or any bystanders.
To quickly collect all the stray nails from your roofing job, your roofing contractor should use a magnetic device.
The best device is a wide push sweeper with wheels for ease of use and a catch basket to collect the nails. The device can run over hard surfaces like your sidewalks as well as your lawn.
To collect nails from garden beds and other landscaping areas, a hand-held magnetic collector does the job quickly and well.
As a final precaution, you can do a sweep search of your yard using a metal detector. If any stray nails remain, this will locate them and let you pick up every last one.
Some of the waste from a roofing job consists of larger pieces of shingles. But much of the debris is very small, even as small as dust.
Once your roofing job is complete, do a quick cleanup of the roof surface using a leaf blower to get rid of smaller debris from your roof and your gutters.
Use this technique for debris that may accumulate on your roof after a wind storm. Any small branches or twigs will be blown off and are easily swept up and disposed of on the ground.
A pressure washer is another useful tool to use to clean your roof. Use soapy water first to sanitize the surface. Afterward, power wash the soap and remaining debris from the roof with the pressure washer. This is also useful for simple spring cleaning as well. A quick spray never hurts!
Even when roofing installers are careful, they leave the inevitable stain of roofing tar on nearby affected areas. Roofing tar is used to waterproof your roof for shingles. Since it is waterproof, it can be challenging to clean up. Whenever you have damaged shingles, or missing shingles, new ones will have to be sealed in place with roofing tar.
If the tar is on soft fabric surfaces, you can use a petroleum-based solvent to remove it.
On hard surfaces, use the cleaner plus a stiff-bristle or wire brush.
On metal, a flat plastic scraper lets you quickly pull up the softened tar.
Be sure to check for dripped tar in areas that are not easily seen like your gutters, windowsills, siding, and sidewalks. Getting all the tar stains up will result in a more professional looking job.
Cleanup is easier with a rental roll off dumpster onsite. As the roofing job progresses, all the debris and trash can be thrown out right away without letting it pile up.
You don’t have to bag up any of the waste and debris which will save time and hassle.
A good cleanup after your roofing job will leave your roof in good shape for years to come. Over time, roofs are exposed to various hazards that can damage the roof surface. Storms and strong winds can toss dirt and debris onto your roof.
In some harsh weather climates, mildew, mold, moss, and algae grows on your roof surface. The mold weakens the roofing materials and causes leaks or mold growth in your attic. This is more prominent in climates with snow or heavy moisture, especially around spring and autumn. Check your exterior walls thoroughly to ensure they aren't being infested.
A damaged roof can also lead to higher energy bills when it cannot act as an effective buffer from the cold of winter and the heat of summer.
To prevent this, do regular inspection of your roof. Look for any areas that need repair or are worn or damaged. Check your gutters and downspouts for clogs or damage. Minor roof repairs are projects that a handy homeowner can accomplish, including repairing step flashing and repairing roofing shingles. As weather warms, quick roof cleaning and maintenance can lead to a spectacular spring roof that will be the envy of the whole neighborhood!
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