Safe To Walk On Flat Roof

However standing seam or screw down metal panels are not practical to walk on.

Safe to walk on flat roof.

Sometimes you need to be able to access your roof. Sure concrete tiles are strong. Generally speaking it is as safe to walk on a metal roof 30 or 50 years after installation as the day it was installed. The majority of flat roofs are not built to withstand the pressure of being walked on and doing so may cause weakness over time not only making it a health hazard but also putting your investment at risk.

4 steps for walking on metal roofs the first thing to do is check the manufacturer s advice for their recommended method of walking on that particular roof product. Even small foot fall movements cause minute cracks in the surface materials this then fills with water in the winter and freezes causing bigger more serious problems in the future. I am a buildings surveyor be careful when walking on a flat roof as it can shorten the life of the covering. Cleaning your roof without walking on it.

It s something that seems like it should be so simple and yet presents so many risks. Walk up or down a slightly inclined roof by walking as you would on the ground but slowly. Walk up a roof and lean your body over towards the roof to help maintain your balance. Every time you walk on the tiles you put stress on them that can crack them or loosen them.

Metal flat roofing flat or low slope commercial roofs can also be covered with steel zinc aluminum or copper. The book now out of print was sponsored by the national research council of canada and it brought together information into one document from canadian building science digests research papers and building science seminars and workshops from the division of building research. First off we don t recommend that you walk on your concrete tile roof if you can avoid it and neither do tile manufacturers. Max baker s marvelous book.

Walking on your roof. The steeper the metal roof the more you ll need to lean over. But they re not really made to be walked on. Your roof seems like it should be strong after all it needs to be able to withstand massive gusts of wind pelting from hail dosing in rain that can add hundreds of pounds of weight and so much more.

Crouch down slightly to walk down a metal roof safely. Wet icy or snow covered roofs are unsafe to walk on in most circumstances possibly excepting expert inspection of flat roofs with safe parapets or railings installed. Walk up a steep roof sideways. They can easily bulge and cause leakages that will be costly to repair.

People ask all the time if it s safe to walk on their rv roof to perform maintenance view a beautiful sunset or watch a nascar race.