The Roof

Yesterday's job should have been so easy. I've done this type of roof repair a zillion times.... but not at this pitch.

The insurance company denied the lady's claim for wind damage. Wind damage includes shingles that get blown off the roof and other shingles where the tabs are bent upward and therefore badly cracked. I replace these shingles and seal down others that are loose. It is usually a nice paying job for the amount of time spent. And yesterday I had help.

This roof, however, is one of those that when you stand on the peak and look down you think you are standing on a mountain ledge. So, out came the ropes and we tied ourselves to the roof incase we started sliding. Thank God for the ropes because we never stopped sliding. The loose granules on the shingles acted something like snow so we were constantly skiing down hill. We became one-armed workers. We hung onto the ropes with one hand and worked with the other.

It was one of the most exhausting jobs I have done this year. We had to hoist ourselves to the peak to grab shingles and sealant. So up and down we went like yo-yos. It was about 95 degrees on the roof so we constantly sucked water. By noon we were both exhausted. The good thing is that by noon we were also finished.

Roof repairs is one of my highest paying jobs and nobody has yet complained about what they pay me. About 80 percent of the population has never been on their own roof. Even people who are not afraid of heights don't like being on the roof. There's just something about the roof. They are willing to pay me for the risk.