With temperatures here in Dallas over 105 and the heat index of 110, roofing crews and contractors are having a hard time staying cool. At the beginning of August central Texas has already had over 30 consecutive days of over 100 degrees with no relief in sight.
Some contractors are asking homeowners to postpone repairs until there is a break in the heat. Besides being dangerous for the crew, shingles can become fragile and brittle in the intense heat so crews walking on the shingles can cause more damage.
The crews are starting as early as 6 a.m. and putting in 14 hour days on roofs where temperatures can reach 130-140 degrees. The roofers are taking extra precautions to stay cool. Wetting down the shingles and using the water hose to cool themselves down, and by taking more frequent and longer breaks. Staying hydrated in humid temperatures is extra important as sweat will not evaporate into humid air.
Heat strokes, heat exhaustion and dehydration are real issues when you work out in the heat all day. Approximately 700 people die each year due to heat-related illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
