A Roofer's Work Is Critical To The Durability Of Every Building, Providing Vital Protection Against The Intrusion Of Water.

Since roofers work on top of buildings, you rarely get a good look at what they do but their work is critical to the durability of a building and the protection of everything inside.

No matter how structurally sound a building is constructed or how good it looks, it's no protection from the storm if rain can come through the top. Rainwater may look harmless but it can have devastating effects on the interior of a building. The integrity of a roof is more important now than ever because of the expensive computer and telecommunications equipment in most of today's office buildings.

Roofers don't build the top of a building, which is called the roof deck. They install the protective covering that protects the roof deck from wear and weather damage, and ensures that moisture does not penetrate through to the inside of the building. Most roofs also offer a layer of insulation to help maintain a comfortable climate inside the building.

There are a variety of roofing systems from the very simple to the complex. The type of roof used on a building depends on several factors such as weather conditions, the type of building and how long the designers expect a roof to last before replacement or repair.

A roof can have as many as three sections on top of the deck - vapor retardant, insulation and the membrane. Vapor retardant keeps moisture from passing from the inside and is used only for special conditions. Most projects call for an insulation and membrane. Some projects only require a membrane.

The most common type of system is the built up roof (BUR), in which layers of felt are soaked in hot bitumen (tar or asphalt) and laid over insulation boards. Another type of roof is the modified bitumen system, which adds polymers to the tar or asphalt to enhance strength, flexibility and UV protection. The felt layers are then applied using high intensity propane torches that reach temperatures of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

As with all building trades, advances in materials create new options. An increasing number of flat roofs are covered with a single-ply membrane of waterproof rubber, treated metal or spray foam. Rubber roofs involve placing sheets over the roofs' insulation and then sealing them with adhesive, mechanical fasteners, or stone ballasts to hold the sheets in place.

Roofers work on four types of projects: new construction, re-roofing, recovering and tear off. Re-roofing and recovering involve placing new layers over older roofs. Tear offs are the complete replacement of deteriorated roofs.

With tear offs, roofers totally remove the old roof system by using a machine commonly called a power rhino, which cuts through and lifts the old surface. Helpers then dispose of the material into wheelbarrows, allowing roofing mechanics to lay a new roofing system onto the bear roof deck. Whatever is removed must be replaced the same day because roof decks can never be exposed to the bare elements.

Roofers also must ensure that water drains properly off a roof. Water puddles that remain on a rooftop for as little as 24 hours can seriously diminish the durability of the membrane. Experienced roofers know how to build the surface so that water flows to gutters and drains quickly and unhindered. Proper roof drainage is often written into a building's design, which requires roofers to possess the ability to read blueprints and expertly carry out those plans.

Salary and Benefits
One of the primary - if not the primary - factors in choosing a career is the compensation - salary and benefits. Roofers earn a high wage and excellent benefits. Following is a range of salaries for journeymen roofing mechanics and foremen in New Jersey.

Journeyman Foreman

$26.25 to $31.82 $27.00 to $32.82

Benefits include:

• Health Insurance for entire family • Pension • Annuity • Disability Insurance • Vacation

Working Conditions
Roofing is strenuous work, involving heavy lifting, as well as climbing, bending, and kneeling. Roofers work almost exclusively outdoors and roofers are exposed to very hot conditions during summer months. Roofers, of course, work at heights and also work with dangerous materials and equipment.

Job Outlook
Roofing is considered recession proof. When a roof must be replaced or repaired, the work cannot be delayed, which ensures a demand for experienced roofers during good economic times and bad.

The Federal Occupational Outlook Handbook anticipates that employment in the roofing profession will grow between 10 and 20 percent through 2010, which is the average of all professions.

Apprenticeship
The Roofers' apprenticeship is a four-year program, which includes one year of probationary status. The apprenticeship consists of 8,000 hours of on the job training and 433 total hours of classroom training.

The program begins with ten weeks of occupational safety and health training. This classroom training is five days a week for five hours a day. During this period, apprentices also learn the basics of roofing. Some of this initial instruction may take place at a job site so that apprentices can see first hand what instructors are teaching.

As soon as this 10-week period is through, the apprentice is assigned to a contractor and earns more than $10 per hour for their first year of training. Apprentices receive a raise on a steady basis throughout the rest of their apprenticeship as they complete training milestones.

When they are first assigned to the job site, apprentices perform very basic tasks such as removing hold roofing and pushing wheelbarrows. However, they soon learn to perform increasingly more sophisticated tasks.

Among the skills roofers learn are: erecting and hoisting, preparing tar and asphalt, readying deck material, pouring asphalt, coating and finishing roof tops, applying flashing and edging, caring for hot kettles and cementing ridges.

Classroom instruction will include basic and industrial math, industrial hygiene, first aid, proper use of tools and equipment and blue print reading.