So, you’ve done all the research, gotten a couple of estimates, and chosen a roofing contractor to replace the old roof of your home with a new roof. But when the day comes, do you stick around? Or is it better to vacate while the work is being done?
Have you asked yourself, “Should I stay home during roof replacement?” If you’re sitting there thinking, should I stay home during a roof replacement, you need to consider the implications of camping out at home while getting your roof replaced.
Here’s our two cents, and possible variables that you should consider.
Should I Stay Home During Roof Replacement?
This answer might not be what you expect, but this is the truth about roof replacements. Of course, you can stay while the work is being done. It is your home, after all! But to be clear, credible contractors recommend you and your family leave for a roof replacement.
Let’s break down why it is a much wiser decision to leave your home for this new roof project, starting with the obvious: noise pollution!
1. Lots and Lots of Noise
To complete this renovation, workers must start by removing existing roofing materials, like shingles, and associated exterior features like gutters and vents.
This tear-down process can be loud, like ripping off shingles, as can stomping work boots across your roof and ceiling. However, the real kicker is the constant hammering required to install the new roof materials.
This extremely loud banging of hammers on the roof will last for hours on end, which is not only disruptive but quite frankly obnoxious and headache-inducing. If you can sit through a day of this until the sun goes down, that’s fine, but removing yourself from the disturbance is simply wiser.
So while you’re thinking, “Should I stay home during a full roof replacement,” remember that your comfort with the situation is just as important as that of everyone else involved.
2. General Safety Concerns
Some homeowners might be tempted to take the day off from work and outside responsibilities, so they can be present during roof work to keep an eye on the project.
A good roofing contractor understands that this is a big investment that carries a high cost and is a crucial structural element of the home, so homeowners might be weary of and curious about replacing the roof. That being said, that understanding translates to a meticulous plan of action to complete a roof replacement as efficiently and safely as possible.
An inquisitive homeowner is much better off asking questions before the roof installation is underway than hovering at the job site and potentially distracting or disrupting the professionals from completing the work that needs to happen.
Not only can meddling while being home during roof replacement slows down work efforts by impeding the process, but it can also be highly unsafe. For example, workers have restricted fields of vision while they are discarding materials or lowering tools from a rooftop. In addition, falling debris can be extremely dangerous.
One should also be aware that homeowners insurance doesn’t always cover or contribute to injury losses on the premises, including the roof.
If you are still thinking should I stay home during roof replacement, continue to consider the possible detrimental consequences of sticking around. Construction can harm outdoor furniture, but that’s nothing compared to personal injury.
It is not just a homeowner who could be put in harm’s way by hanging around during a roof replacement. Children are naturally curious and want to observe the roof work.
If you choose to stay home with children, you must educate them on proper safety. Also, provide them with personal safety equipment, like helmets, to proactively avoid injury from falling debris.
Having someone underfoot is much more likely to cause a dangerous situation or a full-blown accident than it is to make the work go better or faster. No amount of curiosity is worth a homeowner’s life. If you are still thinking, “should I stay home during a roof replacement,” and decide that you will, make sure that you give the professionals plenty of space to get the job done safely.
3. Potential Harm to Your Pets
Furry family members might spook at the overwhelming noise and activity during a roof replacement.
Use caution if you have a pet that experiences fear or anxiety at normal disturbances like thunder, strangers, and fireworks. It is simply not worth putting your pets’ health or sense of well-being at risk just to be able to stay home during the roof repair.
It is extremely common for dogs and cats to react poorly to the chaos and loud noises accompanying a roofing project of this magnitude. Many homeowners report that distressed pets who are present for roof replacements go into hiding and even go missing.
If you are thinking should I stay home during roof replacement and you do stay with your pets, do everything you can to calm their nerves and assure their feelings of safety. It is wiser to seek out other accommodations for them for the length of the project, even if you and the rest of your human family members decide to hang around for the roof repair.
4. Losing Vehicle Access
All decent roofing contractors will verify with the homeowners that none of the crew’s vehicles or equipment is blocking someone from entering or exiting the property before work begins.
Doing this is fine unless you’ve decided to stay home during the project and then need to get somewhere midday.
If an emergency pops up or you decide you want to leave, all work will have to halt so that the crew can accommodate your blocked-in vehicles. Therefore, the project will suffer unnecessary delays.
It is safer to assume that you will need to leave the house during the project and eliminate the possibility by making other arrangements for the day of the renovation than to risk disrupting the work.
5. Dust Inhalation
Prolonged exposure to dust particles from construction work is not healthy for anyone. The contractor and crew are accustomed to and prepared for the hazards of the job site, but most homeowners are not.
While the renovation is happening, dust and debris will permeate the immediate atmosphere and impact the air quality. If anyone in the household has allergies or respiratory health conditions and decides to stay during the renovation, it is recommended that they wear a respiratory mask.
Getting Your Roof Replaced
As the homeowner, you have every right to remain at the property during a roof replacement process, but if you stay during roof repairs or replacement, make sure to take precautions so that the project goes smoothly and safely.
In most cases, roofing companies recommend that the homeowner vacate during the installation because it is safer and more comfortable.
At the very least, stay inside the house to avoid injury.
And if you need your roof worked on asap, reach out to the professionals right away for insight or services!