Do you really need a reason to stay off the roof on a windy day? Winds of 50 mph can lift shingles but work should stop well before that level. Winds above 23 mph are considered too dangerous for working at height. A sudden gust could actually lift you or send one of your workers down a steep-slope roof. Yes, your fall arrest system would catch you but do you really want to have that experience?
Here are a few things to remember about roofing on a windy day:
- Clearing a roof in whole or in part generates debris that needs to be cleaned up. Blown shingle or underlayment pieces can tear a screen or break a neighbor’s windows.
- Wind blown granules can weaken the bond between the new shingle strip and the roof leading to a poor seal with potential for future damage and angry calls from your customer.
- Ladders can become unstable in even moderate winds. If you must climb, lock them down.
- Tree limbs don’t give much warning before they fall.
- The steeper the roof pitch, the greater the risk of your being put off balance by a wind gust.
On just about any roof, uplift from wind is stronger at corners and edges because wind hitting the side of the house travels straight up and over. Wind is unpredictable and gusts can appear suddenly, turning a marginally safe situation into a dangerous one. Windy days don’t last forever but injuries from falling leave a permanent impact. Wait for a calmer day to get the job done.
