Fielders® roofs are generally maintenance-free, but every now and then you might still find yourself needing to climb onto the roof to adjust an antenna, to clean a skylight, or even just to retrieve the footy or tennis ball.
We’re often asked if Fielders® roofing can be walked on, and what’s the safest and best way of doing this. Of course, safety is paramount, so if you do need to get on the roof, please ensure you take all necessary safety precautions. Falls at heights – namely from ladders – are a major cause of DIYer admissions to Australian hospitals each year. If you don’t have the right equipment or are not sure of your physical abilities, ask someone who has the right gear and is more capable.
As a starting point, use a properly secured ladder or similar. Where the ladder makes contact with the roof or gutter, use soft protection to minimise scratches to guttering. You should also wear soft soled shoes which will give better grip, and only access the roof when it’s completely dry, wet roofs – even just slightly wet from moisture or dew – are very slippery.
Once on the roof, the profile will determine how you walk on it. For profiles where the ribs are closer together such as corrugated S-Rib™, CorroMax 21® and CorroMax 35®, the best way is to walk on the ribs (on at least two ribs), and as close to the supports as possible.
With profiles that have broader pans such as KingKlip® 700 and HiKlip®, best practice is to only walk on the pans as the ribs are normally tall, narrower and less stable, so standing on them could cause damage – they’re also more difficult to balance on. Again, try and walk as close to the supports as possible.
In all cases, no matter what the profile, point heel and toe loads should be avoided (flatter footing provides greater surface area for even weight distribution).
It should also be noted that some roofs such as those covering patios and verandahs have less supporting structure underneath, and are not designed for standing on, so avoid walking on these roofs at all costs.