Do I need to clear my Calgary attic before the roofers come?

For most Calgary re-roofing jobs, you do not need to empty your attic, but a few minutes of preparation up there will protect your belongings and help the crew work safely.

What actually happens in your attic during a re-roof

Tearing off old shingles sends vibration through the roof deck. Dust, dried caulk, old insulation fibres and the occasional nail or staple can sift down through gaps around light fixtures, bathroom fans, attic hatches and any penetrations that were never perfectly sealed. If your attic is used for storage, anything sitting directly under the deck or near a penetration is at risk of getting dusty or dinged.

The crew will not go into your attic during a standard shingle replacement. Their work stays on top of the deck. But they will need clear access to the attic hatch if they spot a problem with the deck from above and need to check for rot or soft spots from below, which is more common than people expect in Calgary given our freeze-thaw cycles and the ice damming that comes with chinooks in winter.

Before the roofers arrive, do these four things:

One thing worth mentioning: if your house was built before 1990, some insulation and roofing materials from that era may contain asbestos. Alberta OHS requires that removal of asbestos-containing material be done by trained, competent workers and that the waste go to an approved landfill. If you are not sure what your insulation is, have it tested before anyone disturbs it, including the roofers working overhead.

On the ventilation side, a good roofer will inspect your soffit and ridge vents while they are up there. The National Building Code requires attic vent area of at least 1/300 of the insulated ceiling area, with at least 25% of that at the top and 25% at the bottom. If your ventilation is inadequate, replacing shingles without fixing it will bring back the same ice dams and frost problems within a season or two. Ask the crew to flag anything they notice.

Finally, if your attic has a finished floor or is used as a living space, let the contractor know before they start. That changes how they handle the deck work and may affect their decking allowance in the quote.