September 2020 - DanielleL

Is it OK to walk on a tile roof?

Whether a structure has an asphalt shingle, metal, clay or concrete tile roof, walking on the roof for seasonal inspections and cleanings is inevitable. However, when it comes to tile roofs in particular, there is a proper way to walk on the tiles in order to avoid damage.

Often times, roof tile manufacturers do not specifically warrant breakage due to foot traffic, so it is important that caution be exercised when doing so. Not only do you not want to break your roof tiles, but you also do not want to put your safety at risk. It is suggested that you hire a licensed and bonded roofing contractor to do the job.

If you choose to perform the task yourself, it is recommended to step at the bottom three inches of the installed tile when walking along your roof. This section is supported by the lapped tile beneath it and the weight is then transferred to the deck below. Orient your feet in a direction parallel with the ridge and try to distribute your weight evenly, walking as softly as possible. On high barrel tiles, such as Eagle Roofing Products’ Capistrano concrete roof tile profile, you should distribute your weight with the heel and toe on the high points of adjacent tiles. If tiles are broken, you’ll want to have them replaced as soon as possible to avoid damage to the underlayment from water intrusion and exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

You will also want to stay away from hips or valleys to avoid breaking cut tiles that could be more difficult to replace. The exception to this would be in situations where the hips and ridges are bedded in mortar or foam, in which case they may be preferred walking paths. Valleys may also be access paths if the tiles are cut away from the center of the valley wide enough to allow foot traffic on the metal valley flashing.

Getting on Your Roof Safely

Wait until the tiles are completely dry before getting on your roof. Tiles have a flat, smooth surface so they don’t offer a lot of grip when you step on them. Once tiles get wet, they become even slicker and could cause you to slip and fall. If it rained recently or your roof is wet for any reason, wait 1-2 days so the tiles have time to dry before you stand on them.

Never get on your roof while it’s wet since it increases the likelihood that you’ll fall down.

Wear soft-soled shoes to prevent damage to the tiles. Avoid wearing heavy shoes or boots that have a hard sole since they’re more likely to break tiles and you won’t be able to move around as well. Look for shoes that have soft rubber soles with grips, such as sneakers or light work boots, so you get better traction on the tiles while you’re walking on them.

Don’t wear open-toed shoes like sandals or flip-flops since they don’t offer protection if you accidentally slip or fall down.

Climb a ladder to access your roof safely. Choose a ladder that extends 3 feet (0.91 m) taller than the edge of your roof so you can climb it safely. Place the base of the ladder ¼ of its height away from your home and make sure it’s on level ground so it stays sturdy. As you climb the ladder, maintain 3 points of contact at all times so you’re less likely to lose your balance or fall down.

For example, if you have a 16 ft (4.9 m) ladder, you would place its base 4 feet (1.2 m) feet away from your home.

Ask a helper to hold the ladder in place while you climb it so it’s less likely to fall down.

Warning: Avoid standing on the top 2 rungs of the ladder since you could easily lose your balance and cause it to fall.

Use a safety harness if you have a steep roof. Safety harnesses anchor you to your roof so if you slip, you won’t fall all the way down to the ground. Put your legs through the loops on the safety harness and tighten them around your thighs. Put the top of the harness around your waist and tighten it so it’s secure. Tie a rope around a sturdy object on your roof, such as a chimney, to use as an anchor to break your fall.

You can buy a safety harness online or from a home improvement store.
You can also make your own harness with ropes.
While you don’t need a safety harness for a roof with a gentle slope, you can still wear one if you want to reduce the risk of falling down.
If you don’t have a chimney or sturdy object on your roof, slide 2-3 tiles on your roof up so you can access the rafters underneath. Screw a harness anchor onto the rafters and tie the rope to it.

Where Should I Step?

Knowing where to place your feet when walking on a tiled roof will help to keep you safe.

The majority of concrete roof tiles will be slightly lifted from the roof’s surface as they sit on top of wooden batten strips. This creates a space beneath the tiles to allow for better ventilation.

When you step on the roof tiles, ensure you’re stepping on the tile peaks rather than the valleys, and step on the part of the tile which is reinforced i.e. the lower part of the tile you can see.

Whenever possible, there are some key precautions that you should take. If you have a harness, you should always wear one, and make sure to have someone with you at all times who can get help should you have an accident.

Walking on a Clay Tile Roof Can Cause Significant Damage

Besides the danger of walking on an uneven surface, it’s easy to cause significant damage to your roof by walking on the tiles. If you weigh more than 100 pounds, the force of your weight alone can cause the tiles to crack and break. Clay, is fantastic for heat distribution and protection from the inclement weather during a storm in Georgia, but it can be brittle. A little bit of weight distributed incorrectly can mean the different between a dozen tiles that need to be replaced, and a roof that looks great. Of course, tiles breaking isn’t the only thing that can happen when walking on a clay tile roof. If the tiles weren’t installed properly, your feet could easily dislodge them, causing areas where rain or hail could potentially affect the underside of the roof.

Assess the Roof and Take Safety Precautions

If your roof has a steep pitch, you may want to avoid getting up there at all. Since clay and concrete tiles can break easily, you can also lose your footing easily and wind up injuring yourself from a fall. You may just want to save the trouble and call a professional if dealing with a sharper incline.

Wear a basic harness with climbing rope as well if you have it, just in case you do slip, and have an assistant nearby with a phone readily available so you aren’t alone if you do sustain an injury.

Find Your Path

Barrel and S-shaped tiles are costly to replace and can’t sustain weight very well, so it’s important that you have an idea of how to proceed before you ever set foot above.

There are a couple of different things to keep in mind. Roofing tiles usually aren’t backfilled, so there is no support underneath to take your weight. As such, do not step in the middle of a tile or it will definitely break. A better area to place your feet is actually where the bottom of one tile overlaps the top of another. This is a much stronger section that will be able to hold weight more reliably without incident. So, when you begin walking across your roof, make sure you take the most direct route to where you need to go and carefully make sure each step falls in the right spot.

Also, make sure that you keep an eye out for and avoid any tiles that appear to already be damaged. This may seem obvious, but even something as small as a hairline crack could cause the tile to break under your feet regardless of what you do to avoid it.

Distribute Your Weight

Another important thing to remember is that you will need to distribute your weight evenly between both feet. Whether you’re walking or standing as you conduct your work, make sure to stand on separate tiles as well.

What Kind of Equipment Does an Auto Mechanic Use?

The job of an auto mechanic has become increasingly specialized in the 21st century. Until the 1960s, all you needed was a good wrench set, a strong pair of pliers and a couple of sizes of screwdrivers and you could repair most cars. Modern cars are much more evolved, with hundreds of computer chips and solid state electronic parts. It requires specialized equipment to diagnose problems with these sophisticated electronic devices, and auto mechanics today have to learn how to use modern electronic diagnostic equipment as well as all of the traditional tools of the trade.

Hand Tools

Hand tools are still an essential part of an auto mechanic’s tool set. All commercial garages have pneumatic wrenches to make life easier, but hand wrenches or pliers still need to be used in tight spots. A screwdriver set, including flat and Phillips heads, is also a requirement for auto mechanics. Auto mechanics also regularly use grinders, lathes and measuring tools such as micrometers and pressure gauges.

Specialized Auto Part Tools

Mechanical and digital micrometers are commonly used in mechanical engineering applications, and a specialized digital brake micrometer for automobiles has also been developed. Other specialized auto part tools used by mechanics include tire pressure gauges, oil filter wrenches and cutter tools, steering wheel lock plate tools, clutch alignment tools, strut spring compressors and spark plug sockets and gauge tools.

Welding Equipment

Welding is required in a range of auto repairs, and flame-torch cutting is also used to remove and repair exhaust systems. Most auto welding involves MIG or flux-cored arc auto body work, or spot or stud welding, where a bolt or weld nut is welded to another metal part. Sometimes auto mechanics have to use a spot weld cutter to remove old spot welds.

Lifts and Hoists

Auto mechanics also use a variety of lifts and hoists to give them access to the area of the vehicle that needs to be repaired. Most large garages have pneumatic lifts that raise cars to the appropriate level. Private mechanics might use hoist systems or jacks, or even just an auto dolly to roll under the chassis.

Electronic Diagnostic Equipment

Modern auto mechanics use a variety of electronic diagnostic equipment to help them determine the exact cause of a problem. Most of these diagnostic devices are hand-held or portable on wheels. Mechanics compare the data produced by the diagnostic equipment to the standards provided by the manufacturer. This enables mechanics to accurately diagnose problems based on the latest information downloaded from manufacturer databases

Can Mechanics Keep Up With Car Technology?

Tinkering with your car has always been a good way to void your warranty, but pop the hood on a motor vehicle today and you might not even know where to begin. Whereas auto repair was once viewed as the rough-and-tumble profession of under-educated “grease monkeys,” today’s auto technicians are closer to computer hackers than blue-collar wrench hands.

The challenge of technology is nothing new for modern auto mechanics — there have even been laws passed to keep small-time mechanics in business as the role of technology increases. What then, does this mean for would-be professionals, young people interested in the profession? It’s a different path to the garage floor today.

Wrench? What’s That?

We’re living in the age of the self-driving car, and while it could be a few years until we see fully automated roadways, the technicians who work on those cars are being trained today.

Which skills does it take to make a modern mechanic? How about engine computer unit (ECU) management, metrics analysis, and stoichiometry? Not what you might think of when you take the family car in for an oil change. Don’t be misled: You’ll still need to know how to break loose a rusted lug nut if you plan on making a career as a mechanic, but now you need a number of additional skills.

As compared to the old-world approach of apprenticeship, most modern mechanics start their careers in a program at a school like Universal Technical Institute (UTI). These institutions allow students to pursue employment specific to a manufacturer. For example, a graduate specializing in work on Ford cars is about 60 percent of their way to earning the title of master mechanic at Ford Motor Co.

In Demand

The upside of this new challenge for auto technicians? Increased demand and better incentives for young people. Repairing cars is no longer viewed as a profession for those who may not be college-bound. Instead, it’s a viable profession, and the industry is seeking help. So while the workplace may be evolving, the job isn’t going away.

It’s not just the common car that has become more technical, either. Semi-trucks may not drive themselves just yet, but finding technicians who can keep up with the ever-changing technology can be one of trucking’s biggest challenges. This creates a demand for more specialized jobs for graduates of UTI and other trade-specific institutions.

A Promising Future

The future is no easy road, and with network technology becoming more integrated in modern cars every day, tomorrow’s technicians will need to add skill sets like Bluetooth and the Internet of Things (IoT) to their repertoire.

With manufacturers, dealerships, and smaller repair operations all seeking help, the median wage for auto technicians has increased significantly from around $41K/year, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2009. Specialized technicians who work on commission can even achieve six figures if they work quickly and effectively.

So can mechanics keep up with new car technology? With the right training and education, it seems the answer is yes.

Automotive Mechanics

If you have a passion for cars, you may want to consider a career as an automotive mechanic. Keep reading for more information on training programs and employment prospects in this field.

Inside Automotive Mechanic Careers

An automobile consists of many unique components. Automotive mechanics know the workings of all of these parts, including engines, brakes and car accessories. They also help drivers check and change fluids, spot potential problems and fix breakdowns or failures. By keeping a car or light truck in its best possible shape, mechanics can help car owners avoid spending more money on a new vehicle. If you think the automotive mechanic profession may be right for you, Study.com can help you take the next step. Check out the links to education, career and certification information provided below.

Education Information

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), automotive technology is quickly becoming more advanced, and many employers prefer mechanics who have completed a formal training program in high school or in a postsecondary vocational school. Automotive mechanic certificate programs can teach students how to diagnose and solve problems in many different parts of a vehicle, including fuel, lighting, transmission and ignition systems.

Other Skills Required (Other qualifications)

The ability to diagnose the source of a problem quickly and accurately requires good reasoning ability and a thorough knowledge of automobiles. Many technicians consider diagnosing hard-to-find troubles one of their most challenging and satisfying duties. For trainee automotive service technician jobs, employers look for people with strong communication and analytical skills. Technicians need good reading, mathematics, and computer skills to study technical manuals. They must also read to keep up with new technology and learn new service and repair procedures and specifications.

Training in electronics is vital because electrical components, or a series of related components, account for nearly all malfunctions in modern vehicles. Trainees must possess mechanical aptitude and knowledge of how automobiles work. Experience working on motor vehicles in the Armed Forces or as a hobby can be very valuable.

Month: September 2020

Tile Roof Repair