Roofing professionals are conversant with and know how to handle the dangerous activities and materials that roofing requires. Other people face a high risk of injuries if they don't take measures to avoid the dangers. Below are tips to keep your household safe during a roofing replacement.
Vacate the Home
You can stay in your home during roof replacement; even your roofing contractor won't have any qualms about it. However, consider vacating the home for maximum safety and peace of mind. After all, you don't have to risk injuries from falling debris or other risks if you are away from home.
Discuss the dangers of staying in your home with your contractor before deciding. Also, discuss the precautions you might need to take if you stay. After that, make an informed decision best for your circumstances.
Watch the Kids and Pets
Some homeowners cannot vacate their homes during roof replacement. If you belong in that category, then you should at least take care of your kids and pets if you have any. For one, kids and pets can get in the way of the roofers and prolong the project. Secondly, kids and pets might not be aware of the roofing dangers. Even the roofing noise can be bothersome to kids and pets.
One option is to restrict the pets and kids to specific rooms or parts of the house. Another one is to let a minder have the pets and kids when the roofers are at work. The idea is not to have such household members running around during roofing work.
Watch Out for Unusual Obstacles
Everyone at home during the roof replacement should watch out for objects or circumstances that create more danger than usual. For example:
- Tools and materials might accidentally fall off the roof
- Your home will likely have electrical cables in unusual places; the cables increase the risk of tripping
- Equipment and tools, such as ladders, might block some doors and windows
- You might have unusual items in your yard, which increase the risk of tripping
Considering all the above, don't walk around or use your home as you usually do. Watch out for such unusual dangers.
Stay Out of the Way
Lastly, do your best to stay out of the roofers' way if you elect to stay at home. Resist the urge to walk around the house at every turn, open and close your doors at will, or look over workers' shoulders as they cut or trim materials. Not only will such actions slow down the work, but they might also lead to injuries.
