Any suggestions for lighting new house with steep roof

[GriswoldStyle]

Well the move to the new house on an acre of land is finally complete. However I ran into my first problem trying to get up on the roof to clean the gutters around the pool. The roof is So steep I literally slide almost off within the first 2 steps. Needless to say after catching my breath and giving my heart a chance to relax, I realized putting lights on it with shingle clips like I normally used to do at the old house that had a very low pitch roof is completely out of the question.

How do you guys light up your steep roofs? The attached pictures show the incline. I'm just wondering if maybe the RGB floods would light up a gray roof. anyone have any suggestions as I've already programmed everything for this year but they all include red blue and green for the roof do you think or chibi floods would help?

 

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by GriswoldStyle

[Mr. P]

My roof is steeper then that and I walk around on mine all the time. A few years ago I purchased a set of boots called "Cougar Paws," professional roofing boots, and they are great. They have velcro soles that you can change out depending on what you are walking on. They are a little pricey but you don't wear them often so they last forever. I now walk on my roof like I walk down the sidewalk and I am three stories up, I love them.

https://www.cougarpaws.com/collections/store

Edited August 4, 2019 by Mr. P

[dibblejr]

My roof is 60' and steeper than that. I wont climb it even with the cougar paws and an old seat cushion foam. I rented a lift until last year when I had a contractor permanently mount my RGB roof line lights. If you look at one of my videos you can see how steep mine is. It didn't look bad from the ground but that changed as soon as I lifted up to it, will never happen with me.

You can get up your roof with the cougar paws Mr. P speaks of and also an old seat cushion foam to sit on or otherwise help you move around. That's what the roofers do and how I learned it. My old house I just used socks and a cushion and it looked similar to yours.

Glad you got your new house.

JR

 

[GriswoldStyle]

Thanks for the suggestion guys. I had on New balance shoes but of coarse they are running shoes so maybe that's why I didn't have traction. Just spooked me pretty bad as I have been on roofs since the age of 15... I'm 42 now and never slid like that before. Wasn't prepared for it that's for sure lol.

[dibblejr]

15 minutes ago, GriswoldStyle said:

Thanks for the suggestion guys. I had on New balance shoes but of coarse they are running shoes so maybe that's why I didn't have traction. Just spooked me pretty bad as I have been on roofs since the age of 15... I'm 42 now and never slid like that before. Wasn't prepared for it that's for sure lol.

I tried to blame mine on the extra gravity caused by my years of good eating.

JR

[ericm]

mine is about 45-50 degree angle and I can walk around just fine and i don't use any special shoes, last few years just my nike's... might be the type of shingle being used making it slippery... just remember to take it slow walking around...

[Little_b]

Mines about the same.  I just take it slow and stay on my toes mostly, and I won't go up if there's any sort of moisture on it.  My neighbor up the street put an anchor on the top of his and he harnesses himself in every year.

[dgrant]

That roof is not steep or doesn't appear so but if you are slipping off, then its too steep!. I'm thinking it was the shoes you were wearing. Actually rubber soled shoes will work better but the cougar paws are great. Shoes with plastic/weird combinations as such, just won't work. I like the sound of creating an Anchor up on top...might have to consider that myself. Mine at 30 degree or close to that.

[Orville]

$5.00 boat shoes at Wal-Mart work well, at least they did for me when I lived in a house with a roof like that {and I don't like heights!}.  And on some of the steeper inclines, I'd crawl around on the roof, had to use some work gloves as those shingles do get HOT when doing the crawl and take them off when putting the lights on the roof. 

Now live in a manufactured home {glorified trailer} and I don't get on the roof of it, tried a couple of times, but just doesn't seem to have the same strength as a regular house.  So getting on the actual roof where I am now, I just don't bother. 

That and onset of additional medical issues I try to avoid doing much on ladders or roof lines now.  I'll still do the eaves along the edge of my home, but as for the actual roof, nope, not going to happen any longer.

[BWCFWI]

My first suggestion is to find a roofing contractor to come a put a few anchor points on the roof. Explain to him/her why you need them and where you plan on working. Then go to your local home improvement store and buy a harness and 2 sets of ropes. This way you can be 100% tied off at all times. Remember you can't put your lights up if your hurt or worse. And remember, this is a biggie, the rope is there to keep you from hitting the ground and not to keep you from falling. Always, always, always keep the rope as short as possible. 

 

Brian 

[ShayneT]

I have a steep two story roof - a frame. I had an eye hook put at the peek. I then ran some stainless cable from one side (lower corner) up through the eye hook and anchored it to the other side. This part remains stationary. Then I ran a smaller line through the hook and attached it to the lights. The using the stationary line I hoisted them up like a 45 degree flag pole. Securing it with a loose fit tie-wrap every few lights to prevent sagging. This system has worked well  for years and the eye hook also supports spider webs and  ghosts for Halloween.