Possibly the most frustrating part of many projects is not actually doing the work you showed up to do, but undoing what was already there. In the case of roofing, you have to show up to the site fully prepared to get your hands dirty just by removing the old, rundown shingles that were still up there. Isn’t that something? Before you can put down the first shingle and make the roof clean and neat, you have to scrape off every single one that was there and not tire yourself out in the process. While you may feel comfortable with your roofing and shingle laying abilities, you may still get frustrated and caught up having to start the project by heavy handedly scraping off the previous shingles of any material. To make this process go a little more smoothly for yourself, you will want to start off with the best shingle remover for your needs.
Knowing When to Remove Shingles
Before you even go to pick up or pick out a shingle remover, you should be able to identify when you need to scrape off the shingles in the first place. While a professional roofer should be able to check out the roof and see if the shingles need to be replaced, those at home trying to do it for themselves might not be so sure. Some easy telltale signs include cracking and crumbling, curling shingles, or missing shingles. Generally speaking, age is an important factor to consider. You would not want the roof to have shingles passing a few decades right before your eyes. If you are not sure how old the home is or the last time its roof was redone, then you will want to keep an eye out for signs of aging and damage from weather. Once you are certain you need to redo the roof, you will want to have your shingle remover tools picked out.
What Type of Tools to Use:
Shovels
Certain kinds of shovels can be used for fast shingle removal. They scrape through the old shingles, but leave the nails behind on the roof so once you are finished removing all of the tiles, you have to go back and extract the nails. Some enjoy this type of shingle remover but admit that it creates “double the work.”
Forks
Pitchfork type tools are comparable to shovels but allow you to pick up the nails along with the shingles. Like shingle removal shovels, the pitchfork tools are good for working quickly down a rooftop and are pretty intuitive to get started using. Like the shovels though, they can make a job quite messy. They tear up the tiles badly and leave behind a big mess to clean afterwards. If you do not stay organized the entire way through, you will find yourself spending extra time at the end on clean-up duty.
Rippers
Finally we are getting down to shingle rippers. These flat metal tools are by far the cleanest to use as they remove single tiles individually along with the nails with the assistance of a hammer. They leave the shingles basically intact, so you can keep things clean as you work steadily through. This type of shingle remover is compact and long-lasting. Even if they start to dull, you can refile the blade and extend its lifespan. Even the handles can be replaced if they crack or break.
Each tool definitely has its benefits of use and ideal occasions for being put to work. You might actually want more than one of them in your possession so you can pick and choose which one you want for the job. While you are on the hunt for a good shingle remover, you might want to visit stortz.com to see their selection of shingle rippers. Their tools are high quality and reliable whether you are standing on a roof or have both feet planted on the ground.
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