Asphalt Shingle Demolition Tips

If you plan on reroofing your home, doing the demo work yourself can help save big time bucks. While the work is back breaking and the heat can be unbearable, removing asphalt shingles doesn't take a brain surgeon to perform. This simple yet physically demanding job can hold a few surprises for the uninitiated. Before you pick up the hammer and crowbar, check out these professional tips that can help your asphalt shingle demolition run smoothly.

One of the biggest problems with re-shingling your home is the demo work. It can be very messy! Your best bet for your asphalt shingle demolition project to run smoothly is to prepare in advance for clean up. A good and accessible dumpster is a necessity. One of the toughest parts of removing shingles is getting them to go into the garbage. A sheet of plastic spread around the home can help contain all of the debris. Fill up the dumpster on one side first, and then get it hauled away. Bring the new one back to the other side of the roof tear-off.

Another problem with asphalt shingle roof demolition is getting through all of the nails and shingles. The single most important tool for this job: a square shovel. But not just your average square headed shovel. A specially designed serrated edge and leverage bar installed on a conventional square head shovel is the one and only shingle removing tool you'll ever need. Buy one from your local roofing supply store before you begin.

Once you get your shingles and underlayment off, the next big challenge is clean up. With so many nails, it's impossible to gather them all into the dumpster. Hundreds if not thousands fall off the roof all over the home. Not a good scenario for tires and kids roaming your backyard.

A magnetic nail finder is the perfect tool for finding loose nails. This simple four foot wide magnetic bar can be pulled behind your waist as you walk around the house a few times. You'll be surprised at how many loose nails you pick up!