The Tools Used by Professional Roofing Contractors

Re-roofing projects aren’t for the faint of heart. These tools of the trade ensure safety and quality workmanship.

Some homeowners attempt to replace small patches of shingles on their own. Some take it even further and consider trying a complete re-roofing project. When push comes to shove, it’s really a smarter idea to hire a licensed roofing professional. If safety and long-lasting workmanship are priorities for you (they should be!), you shouldn’t go at it alone.

Read more: Why Does a Contractor’s Licence and Insurance Matter for Roofing Customers?

Check out a few of the tools used by modern roofing contractors. Many of them aren’t small items you can just pick up at your local hardware store.

Safety Equipment

As the saying goes: safety first. Roofing is a dangerous job without the proper equipment. These items ensure accidents don’t happen.

Harness

A safety harness prevents roofers from falling as they work. Harnesses aren’t always necessary, but for extreme slopes they’re a must-have. The harness should accommodate the worker’s weight and the force of the fall itself. They’re not very expensive, but proper setup is absolutely essential.

Boots

The soles of the boots that roofers wear are made of lab-tested material designed to accomplish three things:

• Supreme grip to different roofing surfaces
• A texture that won’t damage the roofing surface
• A snug but comfortable fit for all-day projects

Some boots have fancier tread patterns than others – similar to winter mountain-climbing boots. It’s all about preventing slippage and injuries.

Basic Roofing Equipment

These tools are commonly used for efficient re-roofing projects. Most professionals would say they’re essential to their job. Most homeowners don’t have these lying around in the garage.

Roofing Hammer

This isn’t any old hammer. On one side is a retractable, adjustable blade used to trim felt and shingles. On the other side is what’s called a “gauge” which helps achieve the correct shingle exposure. The head of the hammer may be magnetized to help with swing accuracy. It may also be constructed in a way to reduce vibration and shock, protecting your hands. A quality roofing-specific hammer is a daily tool for professionals.

Nail Guns and Hammer Tackers

To accompany a nail gun, you’ll also need an air compressor. Commercial air compressors are best for roofing jobs to ensure it keeps pumping through the entire project. Compressors with quick recovery times and high max-PSI capabilities are what roofing professionals look for.

While a nail gun is pretty self-explanatory (a power tool that shoots a variety of differently-sized nails at high velocity), a hammer tacker is something most people haven’t heard of. A hammer tacker is like a power-stapler. It’s used to hold paper and underlayment in place before shingles go on. It’s just powerful enough to secure the paper, but not forceful enough to tear the paper. Both nail guns and hammer tackers save immense amounts of time during a re-roofing project.

Fancy (& Efficient) Equipment

These are pieces of equipment that not every roofing professional will bring to your project. They’re neat inventions that increase efficiency.

Ladder Hoist

This pricey ladder helps move materials (like your new shingles) from the ground to the roof, and vice versa. Some of them can move materials up more than forty feet. These hoists may be placed on the back of a truck which scoots up as close as possible to your roof. The roofers will use the ladder like a conveyor belt to save time and reduce fatigue while moving materials.

Hydraulic debris containers

The RB4000 from Equipter

There are equipment companies that produce large dumpster containers that sit on top of a hydraulic lift. While the roofers remove old roofing material, they push it off the roof directly into the dumpster which will be lifted up to the roofing surface for easier aiming.

This helps save clean-up time after a job is done. The material in the dumpster can be placed right into a dump truck and taken away.

Ready to Call a Pro?

RoofCrafters is ready to help. Don’t tackle a roofing project on your own. Besides it being a large undertaking, safety and workmanship should be your top priorities.

Getting started with us is easy. Simply fill out a quick form and our project planners will contact you. Roof inspections are free!