hello! I have a job monday that might (will) require walking on a cedar shake roof to get at some windows. The owner is worried about me cracking shingles. The roof will be dry and I will walk VERY carefully to avoid cracking anything (staying in the middle of curved shingles). Any tips?
Yes… Get a waiver signed
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We already discussed any issues and I told him that if it was an issue (I break a shingle) I wouldn’t do it. In that case I guess I would just try my HARDEST with an extension pole, I just wish I had included that extra time in the estimate/quote!
So if you break one will he expect you to pay for it?
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No I doubt it, but I will check with him before just in case. I get your point, and it’s a good one, thank you.
Can you reach out of the window from inside to get the outside panel? Some windows lift out or tilt out to clean the outside panel. I do this as often as I can to limit ladder work. Sometimes there is no other way.
I figured I would give that a shot, it would leave fewer windows from the roof etc. Thanks!
Maybe throw a plank or sheet of plywood where you are walking to disperse the weight??
YES I was thinking of something like that also, wishing I had a long strip of 8 ml neoprene!
Cedar shakes are different than cedar shingles. No problem with the latter of the two to walk on.
Good to know! Thank you!
Just be careful on cedar. If its at all damp, it’s slipperier than snot.
Yea I fell off of a cedar roof a few years back, luckily I landed on my feet and missed a car by a few feet. They do get SLIP-ER-Y.
I wouldn’t want to walk on them with out korkers. If you were near me, I would give you mine - I decided that I wont be walking on cedar roofs again, period. Make sure the roof is 100% dry, in any case. Tie off, if you can.
yes I was up on it today briefly, its a three floor walkout, definitely won’t be going on the top floor without being roped in, and absolutely going to make sure everything is bone dry. I spoke to a roofer today before starting the gutters and he said that YA cedar shingles are deadly when wet.
stay safe Klyrvu, good idea talking to a roofer 
Make sure you have a good anchor point. Never trust brick chimneys, they are notorious for toppling.
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[SIZE=5]NO NO NO NOOOOOOO[/SIZE]
[/U][/B][/COLOR][SIZE=2]If you do that you are going to bust your nugget all over the sidewalk or whatever is underneath that edge of the roof! You’re going to be surfing for sure. Don’t do it man.
The only way to secure that sheet or plank would be to nail it down. But its a shake roof! You CAN"T nail it down. Underneath a shake roof are horizontal slats that the 15 or 30# felt go’s on, then that crappy shake. You can’t do it.
That client is nuts. Tell him your walking on that roof or you aren’t cleaning that window and that’s that. Unless you have a wfp, then you just put an A frame ladder up and wfp it.
Its a pain in the neck and difficult, especially because you can bet there will be plenty of people watching you too.
Otherwise, dude its a shake roof its illegal to put on a new shake roof in most city’s in california anyway. (fire hazard)
Which is probably why he don’t want any broken ones because if it IS illegal where you are, he CAN"T GET ANOTHER ONE TO REPLACE IT.
If you make a hole in the paper underneath, just get some Henry’s and some tin shingles. Take you 5 minutes to fix it. Trust me. Used to be a roofer…
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Hover boots.
Seriously though, you should sure he understand that you cannot guarantee anything. If you walk on old cedar shingles they might break. That’s just the way it is. So either he need to be okay with that, or you should stay off that roof.
