Installing a Metal Roof - choosing your metal roof

When choosing your metal roof, make sure that the type you have chosen is designed appropriately for the construction of your home. Most metal roofs require that they be installed over solid decking, however, there are a few, which can be installed over lathe boards and even over wood shingles that are on lathe boards. A few of the more detailed designed metal roofs can even be installed over slate roofs. To verify that the product you have chosen is suitable for your style of roof please referrer to your products manufacturers instructions.

Before you actually stand on your roof, you have to take precautions. While still standing on your ladder, carefully search your roof for any work hazards, such as loose roofing or weakened substrate. You also need to note such things as pipe flashings, electrical wiring, nails, stabilizing wires and extensions cords as well as the growth of moss and dampness, which can make a roof slick causing a safety hazard for you as well as creating conditions which can cause equipment to slip. NOTE: At all times, you must always be aware of your position, while on the roof in relation to your surroundings. You must also always be aware of the location of roof openings, edges, equipment, co-workers, as well as any pets, children and observers who are below you on the ground, as well as any other potential hazards.

Before you begin your installation project, you also must check the manufacturer's requirements regarding the minimum roof pitch needed for installation. To do this you will need a measuring square and a level. A pitch of 3:12 means that it will have 3 inches of rise per every 12 inches of run. To figure out the angle, you simple divide the rise (3) by the run, which will always be 12 in roof pitch terminology. This will then give you the tangent of the angle. Next, either you can look up the tangent on a trigonometry table, which will give you the angle, or many calculators today will convert tangent into the angle for you.

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