Must Have Roofing Tools And Equipment

You need the correct roofing tools and equipment to do a good roofing job, but if you are a seasoned professional in any field you already know that.  The correct tool for the correct occasion can more often than not mean a great job or a shoddy one.  In this particular article we would like to focus on the specialized area of roofing tools and equipment and how they can help to make your life so much easier.

When it comes to roofing tools and equipment we realize that one size does not fit all.  If you are a seasoned professional you need the best on the market in order to keep viable in your field.  Good tools mean getting a job done quicker, better, and most important of all, safer.  It is your livelihood at stake and we realize that.

If you are a home handyman who likes to do DIY projects and are interested in venturing up onto the roof we will take this into consideration as well.  We realize that your budget may be more limited, and in fact, you may only do the roofing repairs you are considering once in your life.  Rest assured, we are taking into consideration your needs as well.

If you have ever done roofing you know that it is indeed a tough job.  Given the fact that you are in many ways balancing on a slanted roof is tough enough.  Take into consideration the fact that you have to lug both yourself and roofing materials and equipment up there.  To make it even worse you are in many respects subjected to the elements and whatever mother nature decides to throw at you.  You might decide to stay off the roof if it rains or sleets or snows...but how do you keep away from the heat and the mosquitoes?  You can limit your activities to early or late in the day, but you are out in the elements none-the-less.

Let's start off by stating the very least you will need when it comes to roofing tools and equipment.  Here are three MUST HAVES:

• A good hammer
• A trusty tape measure
• A pouch to hold nails

Like I said, you really should not even bother to go up onto the roof without these three trusty items.  They are the "workhorses" of the trade.

Ok, so we mentioned the three roofing tools that you need to take up onto the roof, but how in the world are you going to get up there in the first place?  This is where a trusty ladder comes into play. You need one that is the right size for the job as if it is too small then it will not get the job done.  If it is too large, well, who wants to lug that huge ladder all over the place when you don't need its features?  Keep in mind the fact that it must also be able to support the roofer and all those tools needed for roofing as well.

There is a great product out there on the market these days that I should take the time and mention.  Lifts!  No, not the ones that some guys put in their shoes to make them look taller, those that take you and all your roofing equipment and roofing supplies up on top of the roof in the first place.  Taking into consideration that the average package of asphalt shingles weighs about 80 lbs., many roofers consider this a "must have".  For all those DIY roofers or weekend roofers out there keep in mind that many places will rent you one.  Just look in the phone pages or Google used roofing equipment or roofing equipment to rent.

If you have found that you want to take your roofing equipment up a notch here is the next item that we suggest you consider investing in...  a roofing nail gun.  You will be able to put down many more nails in a much quicker fashion and will save your arm muscles for other tasks.  An added bonus is the fact that a good nail gun can operate on either:

• Air compressor
• Electricity
• Battery

My personal experience has been that power tools that operate on battery don't last long, but if you are a weekend DIY warrior and don't expect to do roofing for a living you may find this arrangement more than adequate.

We're moving "up the ladder" (pardon the pun) with those "must have" roofing tools and equipment products.  The next item on the agenda is a good roofing seamer.  This tool is a must have for making clean and accurate angle bends on either fascia corners or aluminum roofing flashing.  Get a good quality aluminum one as this is lightweight (why carry extra weight up on top of a roof if you don't need it).  Be sure you don't use it as a striking tool as this will probably void the warranty.

A long hand serrated shingle ripper shovel?  What in the world is that you may ask.  Well, if you have ever removed shingles in the past you know what a pain that is.  This little roofing tool will make your job all that much easier.  It will lift off a bunch of heavy shingles and the associated nails in one swift motion.  The long handle comes in handy (pardon the pun again) as you will not have to bend over and aggravate your aching back.  Get one with an adjustable head so that you can handle any particular roof pitch.

No list on the subject of roofing equipment would be complete without an addition of a safety measure.  Get yourself some good ladder brackets.  You may have been tempting fate up til now by "balancing" on that ladder way high in the sky, but what is a few bucks when it comes to your health...or even your life?  Ladder brackets will hold your ladder securely in place so that you can go about your roofing job and not have to worry about your ladder giving way right out from underneath you.

So there you have it, our list of some of the most important products that you can own when you venture up to the top of a roof.  Some are inexpensive and others are so expensive that you may just want to rent them.  Nonetheless, it is important that you have the right equipment to do a good and safe job.  We hope that you have found this article on roofing tools and equipment educational and informative.