Satellite dish on a roof that was basically a trampoline yesterday

I was on a three-story townhouse roof in Cincinnati yesterday, and the homeowner swore the roof deck was solid. I stepped onto the ridge and my boot went through a rotted spot, dropping me right through the attic insulation up to my waist. Has anyone else had a near-miss like that, and do you carry any specific gear for checking roof integrity before you climb?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_morgan183d ago

Jesus, that’s terrifying. I had the same thing happen last summer on a house in Dayton. The roofer swore it was fine, but I brought a long screwdriver and started poking around the edges before I even got on the ladder. Found a soft spot near the chimney that would’ve dropped me straight through. @green.noah is spot on, a simple probe tool like that saves your ass. I also started carrying a lightweight inspection pole to reach the ridge from the ladder before stepping on it.

green.noah3d ago

Solid deck" is a real gamble with those old roofs.

emma963d ago

I read that a probe rod or even just a screwdriver can check deck rot before you step.