A roofer, roof mechanic, or roofing contractor is a tradesperson who specializes in roof construction. Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of

buildings A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and func ...

, using a variety of materials, including

shingles Shingles, also known as zoster or herpes zoster, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. Typically the rash occurs in a single, wide mark either on the left or right side of the body or face. ...

bitumen Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term ...

, and

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typica ...

. Roofing work can be physically demanding because it involves heavy lifting, as well as climbing, bending, and kneeling, often in

extreme weather Extreme weather or extreme climate events includes unexpected, unusual, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Often, extreme events are based on a locat ...

conditions. Curled or rotten shingles, missing shingles, and blistering are all signs that roof needs attention.

Global usage

In Australia, this type of carpenter is called a ''roof carpenter'' and the term ''roofer'' refers to someone who installs the roof '' cladding'' ( tiles,

tin Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (from la, stannum) and atomic number 50. Tin is a silvery-coloured metal. Tin is soft enough to be cut with little force and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, t ...

, etc.). In the United States and Canada, they're often referred to as roofing contractors or roofing professionals. The most common roofing material in the United States is asphalt shingles. In the past, 3-tab shingles were used; nowadays, "architectural" or "dimensional" shingles are becoming very popular. Depending on the region, other commonly applied roofing materials installed by roofers include concrete tiles, clay tiles, natural or synthetic slate, single-ply (primarily EPDM rubber, PVC, or TPO), rubber shingles (made from recycled tires), glass, metal panels or shingles, wood shakes or shingles, liquid-applied, hot asphalt/rubber, foam, thatch, and solar tiles. "Living roof" systems, or rooftop landscapes, have become increasingly common in recent years in both residential and commercial applications. In the United States, regulation of the roofing trade is left up to individual states. Some states leave roofing regulation up to city-level, county-level, and municipal-level jurisdictions. Unlicensed contracting of projects worth over a set threshold may result in stiff fines or even time in prison. In Oklahoma roofers are required to meet insurance and roofing license guidelines. Roofers are also required to show their license number on their marketing material. The United Kingdom has no legislation in place that requires a roofer to have a license to trade, although some do belong to recognized trade organizations.

Danger

Roofing is one of the most dangerous professions. Nearly every first-world country has established specific safety regulations for work on the roof, ranging from the use of safety nets, rope and harness systems, Anchor points, and a variety of additional measures. In the United States, the death rate in 2018 was 51.5 per 100,000 for roofers, compared to 3.5 per 100,000 national average. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, roofing has been within the top 5 highest death rates of any profession for over 10 years in a row.

References

{{Authority control Construction trades workers

Global usage

Danger

See also

References