As we’ve been thinking about our 2014 highlights, we have a certain roofing project that was pretty cool. And, we have the pictures to prove it!
Tucked away among the Giant California Redwoods on the northern California Coast, there is a particular house that needed a brand new roof. But, the pitch was pretty steep. It required roofers with exceptional skills - and harnesses!
Roofing is a messy job on any day, and can be a challenge even on a flat roof. Considering the pitch and space we had to work with, this job was a major challenge - as you can see by the pictures above.
As a safety precaution, scaffolding was attached to the roof itself for two reasons:
- Traditional scaffolding goes straight up. The farther up you're working, the further away from the roof you're becoming.
- With a pitch of this magnitude, you increase your risk of a fall and serious injury, because you would be leaning into the pitch and essentially away from the scaffolding.
As you can see, this project was not for the faint of heart! It required extra planning, prepping, safety measures and precaution.
Working at a 45-degree angle all day long is substantially more involved than working on a flat surface. With this type of pitch, your workspace for tools and materials is eliminated.
Here's a closeup. Get a load of that slope! The shingles came together beautifully and really made this home a comfortable coastal escape.
What is the advantage of a steep slope roof?
In case you were wondering a steep slope roof is defined as the uppermost part of the roof is set at 9.5 degrees or more.Once you move past the new roof installation itself, the benefits you will reap can be abundant. One really great benefit is that the rainfall doesn't have the capabilities to pool on your shingles, which in return helps keep your roof free of debris and the rapid growth of moss; which we see a lot of living in coastal are.
If you live in an area with heavy snowfall, the weight of the snow will no longer be an issue either! You won't have to worry about your roof caving in due to the snows weight because the snow will slide right off! Then of course you have to go out and shovel that mess, but that's why I live in California!
Challenge Accepted!
Although we faced weather, pitch, and technical challenges the outcome of this project was rewarding, even the owners were very pleased!All the skylights, the chimney, and of course the steep slope made this composite shingle roof a challenge, but a challenge my team was totally up for!
Your next roofing project may not look this daunting, but we would love to help!
~Mr. Roofing
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