If this was your house could you just leave the anchor in place as a permanent attachment for future use? The terminology of these types of anchors being "single use" "disposable" etc makes it seem like they are subpar. My roof is metal panel directly on trusses with no sheathing do you think I should use screws over nails to secure a similar type anchor. I'm just going to leave it installed once I'm done. Thanks for your reply.
Yes, they do make roof anchors that are made to be permanent. Just make sure you follow the flashing instructions so that they don’t leak overtime. I would not recommend using a temporary Anchor as a permanent Anchor since they are not made to be flashed. Screws are not necessarily better over nails. You need to use a fastener that has the proper sheer strength and ability to resist a tear out. Standard screws, take drywall screws for example, are actually quite brittle and have a poor ability to resist sheer. Make sure you use a structural screw or nail specifically one that is recommended by the manufacturer of the anchor you use.
James that is a good question! Yes, in general nails have a greater sheer strength then screws because they are made of a softer metal. Screws are are generally more brittle having a lower sheer strength. Sheer strength is important because that will be the type of physical force acting upon the fasteners and anchor should a fall occur. You could also use structural screws which do have a greater sheer strength comparable to nails. Typically with a fall protection kit or anchor the instructions will specify how many nails (and what size) or structural screws you need to use with that particular kit. A kit may also come with nails or screws (the one I used in this video came with structural screws)
Thanks man! I've always learned more here on RU-vid and on the job site than I have in school too. School is neat, but there is nothing like learning from people out in the field 👊👍
My question is this, at the end of the job once you’re all done you obviously have to take the anchor off, if the house is really steep once you take the anchor off your pretty much at risk of falling, so it only Keeps you safe while doing the job with the anchor on the roof? After you take the anchor off you just have to hope you don’t slip while trying to get on the ladder or what? I don’t get it.
That's right, you don't have any protection during your first ascent or final descent. You can use a Ridge Pro or similar device to make those safe. You shouldn't do it if you're not comfortable, though. Make sure you do you homework and get the right equipment, or hire a professional.
Great video! So many on youtube give unsafe advice, but yours was solid as far as I can tell (I'm not a roofer, just a DIYer that tries to do research and do things the right way). 1:44 You can also use strong magnets to locate a rafter without putting holes in the decking/shingles. Make sure they're strong enough to attract each other when there's a 2x4 in between them. I like the 1x3" rectangular ones, so you have a straight edge up against the rafter. Secure the magnets in the attic on both sides of the rafter, making sure they can't move. Then take two more up to the roof and move them around until they lock in place. To help find the general area in the attic, you can play some music on your phone, then place it on the roof where you want the anchor. Secure it by tying a line to a similarly weighted object and hang that over the ridge, or tie it around a vent etc. Or just measure if it's a simple layout. 4:39 You can use a roof snake to avoid tearing the last shingle, it's a lot easier than bending it back. To repair a torn one, you can cover the crack in roofing cement, then get some shingle granules from the gutter and put it over the cement to (mostly) blend in with the rest of the shingle. If you have some leftover shingles that haven't been used, that's even better since there won't be dirt mixed in.
That is a good question Lance, with leaving this type of anchor up there you could get some water leaking to the inside of the building and possibly cause some water damage. They do, however, make permanent anchors that can be installed and left up there for future use that are water tight. So as long as you get the correct style anchor you should be good. I’ve thought about doing that exact thing for when I clean out the gutters on my house.
Really, if I am going to install anchors and go through the hassle , I’m making them to stay, just waterproof the area, by installing the shingles and using roofing tar.
Have you ever attached and anchor under the shingles not at the ridge? Say like a porch roof, where the top of the shingles of the porch roof meet the siding wall of the house. Would you just lift up the shingle flap and attach the anchor underneath? And what if you don't have attic access? What are other ways to find the rafters?
Those are good questions! Another option is to use a different style of anchor. There is also a system out there called "The Hitch Clip System" that you can install an anchor further down the roof (not required to install at the ridge). You could, for example, install this one almost anywhere on the roof where there is a rafter to fasten to. If you don't have attic access, which is typically the case on a porch roof. You could look at the facia board for nails or screws (this might be behind your gutter if you have one). Those nails may be fastened into the ends of each rafter so you'll be able to use them to indicate where you're rafters are. Another option would be to measure out from the ends of the roof (where you know a rafter is) In most stick framed house, the rafters (or trusses) are placed 16" apart or 24" apart. You could use this to make an educated/measured guess as to where a rafter is likely to be. I hope that helps!
Mike, great video, I gave it a like. I read the article you suggested on safety by Fine Home Building, great advice in there. I was hoping you could suggest a rope for a 200-pound guy like myself. Any suggestions?
