When it comes to replacing your roof, many homeowners are faced with the common question, “Can I stay in my house when I replace my roof?”

It’s a valid concern, as a roof replacement is a significant home improvement project that can disrupt your daily life. In this blog, we’ll delve into everything you need to know about the process of replacing a roof. 

Where Do I Go When I Replace My Roof?

Clients often ask us if they will be able to stay in their home while their roof is being repaired or replaced. To answer this question, yes – you can remain in your home during your roof project. 

On average, the roof replacement process for a single-family home takes a few days. You can count on two days as the minimum and a week as the maximum time frame (barring extreme weather conditions or major complications).

Most roofers conduct their business during the weekdays when homeowners work, so there’s minimal disruption. Though our crews are respectful and professional, replacing a roof is a lot of construction. If you work from home or spend most of your time at home during the week and you’re not sure you’ll be able to stand the noise for the length of the day, it might be a good idea to get out of the house, at least while the roofers are working.

How To Prepare for Your Roof Replacement

To help you prepare for getting your roof replaced, we’ve listed some helpful tips below to ensure you and your home stay safe throughout the installation process. 

If you’re still concerned staying in your house is the best option for you, don’t hesitate to give your roofer a call. They’ll be able to walk you through what to expect and let you know how long your installation will likely take.

1. Inform and prepare your Children

If children will be in the house while your roof is being replaced, it’s important to keep them informed about the process and establish some additional safety guidelines.

Encourage them to stay inside and enjoy indoor activities during this period, and emphasize the importance of staying indoors while the roofing professionals are at work. The roofer will need to remove your old roof before installing the new one, resulting in a considerable amount of debris falling to the ground. This debris poses a potential safety hazard for children, so it’s essential to be vigilant and ensure their safety.

2. Keep Your Pets inside and Safe

Even if you plan to stay in your home while your roof is being replaced, it’s best to consider removing or securing your pets. Similar to a thunderstorm, some animals can find the roofing process loud and distressing. They also might not react well to strangers being at their homes for an extended period. 

If you are unable to find alternative housing for your pets during this time, we suggest securing your pets in a calm, quiet room where they can have some relief from the noise, such as in a basement. 

3. Remove Your Cars

As a general guideline, relocating your vehicle from your property is advisable during the roofing process. If you typically park in the driveway, there’s a risk of falling debris potentially damaging your vehicle.

If your usual parking spot is the garage, the construction work may dislodge tools and items hanging from the walls, which could inadvertently cause damage to your car. To err on the side of caution, it’s recommended to park your vehicle on the street while the roofing work is underway.

4. Protect Outdoor Furniture and Landscaping

Professional roofers will lay down tarps to catch debris and patrol the property with a magnet after the job is done to collect any stray nails or hardware. But roofing is notoriously messy – it is what it is! 

If you have any outdoor furniture, grills, or other valuables outside your home, it’s best to move them during roof replacement. Falling debris from the roof could damage your property, so it’s best to keep them safe from harm. 

Also, if you want to protect any landscaping around your property, it won’t hurt to lay out a few of your own tarps to ensure nothing unwanted falls on your plants and flowers.   

At Werner Roofing, we prioritize minimizing debris on your property. So, we’ve made significant investments in using tools like the Equipter to keep your home relatively free of debris during the roof replacement process. The Equipter is an excellent asset that aids in collecting and containing debris, showcasing our commitment to maintaining a clean work environment and preserving your property. While it’s important to note that the Equipter may not be utilized in every job and might not catch everything, its use demonstrates our dedication to minimizing the impact of construction on your home. 

5. secure fragile items indoors

Similarly to your outdoor furniture and plants, you should also take extra measures to protect any fragile items. Items on shelves and hanging on walls, such as heirlooms, glassware, frames, and valuable decor, can be disrupted by the vibrations of the roofer’s work and lead to accidents and damage. 

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so we recommend temporarily moving fragile items to a secure location within your home so you can have peace of mind. 

Werner Roofing Is Here for All Your Roof Replacement Needs

If you’re ready to replace your roof, give Werner Roofing a call. We are a trusted, local West Michigan roofing company known for providing exceptional service and using top-of-the-line materials. 

Are you unsure if it’s time to replace your roof? We can help with that, too! We’ll give you an honest assessment of where your roof is and let you know if you need a replacement. We know it can be challenging to make that final decision, so we’re here to help you in any way we can. Give our office a call at 616-844-5382 or contact us online today for your free roofing estimate.