How to Remove Roofing

If your existing asphalt shingles are15 to 20 years old or you live in an area with extremes of weather, it may be time for you to consider a new roof. In addition to the age of your roof, other tell tale signs that you need to reroof are cracked or curling shingles, a build up of shingle aggregate in your gutters or--a surefire indicator--a leak. Installing new asphalt shingles often means removing all of your existing roofing right down to the wood (so your roof can be checked for damage and repaired if necessary). Here's how to go about removing your old shingles.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bar magnet
• Ladders or scaffolding
• Plywood to protect lower windows
• Work gloves, sunscreen, hat
• Rental dumpster
• Safety harness and ropes
• Soft rubber soled shoes
• Roofing shovel or square ended spade

Preparation

1. Make arrangements for a rental dumpster to be delivered to your home.

2. Lean pieces of plywood against the side of your house so they cover any lower level or basement windows as well as any plants near your foundation.

3. Rent safety harnesses and get training on how to put them on properly.

4. Put on a hat, sunscreen, rubber soled shoes and work gloves.

Removing shingles

5. Use a roofer's shovel (a square ended shovel with teeth that slide under the shingles and pry up roofing nails), to remove the existing shingles.

6. Slide the shovel forcefully underneath the exposed edge of the shingle. The teeth will go under the nails and then with a twisting motion you can pry the nails up or tear the shingle off the nail.

7. Work your way across and then up the roof, removing the shingles in rows.

8. Push the shingles over the edge so they fall to the ground near the foundation.

9. Once all the shingles have been removed, go over the roof and pull out any individual nails remaining.

Clean Up

10. Pick up the shingles all around the house and put them into the dumpster (carefully, as many will have nails in them).

11. Drag a large bar magnet attached to a rope (available at rental outlets) all around the outside of your house to pick up as many nails from the ground as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Putting on a new roof doesn't always mean that you need to remove your old shingles. Roofing contractors will want to remove the existing shingles so they can check the condition of your roof before applying the new shingles. However, two and sometime three layers of asphalt shingles are possible
• Working on a roof (particularly on a sunny day) can be tremendously hot, tiring work. Be sure you drink lots of fluids and protect yourself from the sun.
• Working from a ladder or walking on a roof can be dangerous. If you are uncomfortable working at heights, do the smart thing and hire a roofing contractor.

[Woolrich]

on 5/7/2007 a roofing coordinator with BMCWest. Above explanations are fine with the addition of CHECKING the weather forescast for the forseeable week ahead of the tearoff (especially if you are doing it yourself, as it may take longer then you think). Have plenty of LARGE tarps on hand to be able to cover the exposed areas of the roof. Tear off half of the roof at a time, drying in the exposed roof with at least the underlayment felt BEFORE tearing off the other half. Unneeded preparation equals needed prevention. Use extreme caution about walking on the tarps if they get wet. Roofing harnesses are a good idea. Basically, be prepared and have the ability to act if something goes amiss with the weather. Worry about the details (such as, how waterproof is my ridge with the tarps and old shingle AFTER the tarps are down and you have a minute to contemplate your roof, dripping wet. : )