Is It Safe To Walk On Roof Tiles?
Sometimes, we might think of walking up the roof tiles like how they do in the movies. It’s cool and probably can chill up there with a can of soda while star-gazing. Wait! Hold that thought. As wonderful that idea may be, one should not get up off the roof as it is very dangerous.
So, is it safe to walk on roof tiles?
No. Roof tiles are not made to support the weight of a person.Walking on the roof can cause roof tiles to crack which would result in leak and costly roof repair later on. The older a roof is, the more fragile it can be. There’s also risk of falling from height which could also cause life-changing injuries.
According to statistics, 18% of fall cases were from the roof. People from the roofing industry can very well tell you that it is not wise to be getting on the roof without adequate precautions and fall protection. Regardless it’s a flat roof or slanted roof, the risks are there.
Improper placement of the footing also may dislodge the roof tiles. Even though there’s no cracking, tiles that are not placed properly will allow rainwater to seep in easily.
We at Roof Repair Malaysia strongly discourage everyone from getting onto the roof. There’s always an alternative way to get the things that you want to do without having to step on it. Hiring qualified roof contractors is one.
There are several common reasons why people would want to get onto the roof – put on Christmas lights, remove fallen branches, clean the roof moss. So, we stated some recommendations on what you can do without having to step on the roof tiles.
How to put on Christmas lights without getting onto the roof?
Christmas is fun and one of the preparation work would probably be to get those string lights at the edge of your roof. You don’t have to walk on the roof tiles to do this. Take a ladder and clip them onto the gutters or eaves of your roof.
Do not use glue or staples as it can damage the paint coating and even the fascia board of your roof. It can also be a problem when you want to take off the string light after the festival.
A proper plastic clip would work well and won’t be that visible at night. It will make your string light look as if they’re magically attached onto your roof.
As a precaution, avoid putting the string light yourself on difficult edges of the roof or if it’s too high from the ground. It’s not worth the risk. If you really do want a full coverage of string light on your roof, hire professionals to do it for you instead.
How to remove wooden branches and debris from the roof?
Instead of thinking of getting up on the roof to do this, try using a long wooden pole or broom to push the debris off the roof. You can also get up the ladder from the ground and attempt to get those leaves and twigs off. Do be cautions when using the ladder.
If you can’t get enough reach with what you have, consider hiring a roof contractor to take care of the debris for you. If there is a large piece of branch that the storm may bring to your roof, there is also the possibility that the impact could damage your roof tiles.
The roof contractor can help you to clear the debris and check your roof condition for any signs of leak at the same time.
How to remove roof moss without walking on the roof?
There’s several ways to remove roof moss such as with detergent, bleach or certain commercial moss killer products. This usually involves getting up on the roof because it’s quite hard to do it from the ground. But, it is best to hire roof contractors for this. Doing it yourself won’t be effective without the right equipment.
The entire roof needs to be treated with the moss killer solution. If not, the moss will come back to your roof in no time. Subsequent steps to prevent roof moss also needs to be taken accordingly to make sure that they won’t be coming back for a long time.
If there’s significant roof moss already growing around your roof tiles, it needs to be brushed off first. Only then, applying the moss killer will be effective. So, it’s better to hire professional roofers to do it for you. Some companies also have those long spray equipment that allows them to apply the solution to your roof without stepping on it. This is the best possible treatment that your roof can get.
Some may still think that it’s alright to walk on roof tiles. They might have done it before and nothing happened to them. But, we still highly discourage doing so. People can be careless. Sometimes, the wind could blow something to the eye which makes you want to rub them and cause imbalance. Just don’t take unnecessary risk.
There’s important knowledge and precautions involved that needs to be taken into consideration – standing on the roof rafter, strategic placement of the footing, weight distribution and more. We, the roofers, would know that very well and allow us to carry out our job carefully. However, even with those knowledge in practice, it’s not uncommon that accidents can still happen.
As a takeaway message, it is not safe to be walking on roof tiles or even getting onto the roof. Spread this message to your children and family if you love them. Getting on the roof is very dangerous. Hire us, your local roof contractors to deal with your roofing issues instead!
What other reasons where you think that there is a need to get onto the roof? Let us know in the comments!