# Anvilfield - Roofing field guides

Crickets, tapered insulation, wind zones, ELD surveys, underlayment laps, coatings, and roof proof.

Hub: https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/

Field guides (70):
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/siding-installation-vinyl-fiber-cement/ - Siding is the building's raincoat, but what actually keeps the wall dry is what sits behind it: the water-resistive barrier and the flashing. Water always gets past the siding, so the lapped barrier, the flashing at every opening, and a drainage path protect the sheathing from rot. Follow the manufacturer and the adopted code.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/drone-uav-roof-facade-inspection/ - A drone inspection uses a remotely piloted aircraft to inspect roofs, facades, solar arrays, and structures that are dangerous, slow, or costly to reach, leaving a documented visual and thermal record. In the US, commercial flight requires an FAA Part 107 certificate, aircraft registration, and airspace authorization. The drone finds the problem; verify and fix it on the ground.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/wood-shake-shingle-roof-installation/ - A wood shake or shingle roof is a natural cedar covering, usually Western red cedar, prized for its look and long life, but only when it is detailed to breathe and to resist fire. The wood must dry from both sides over spaced sheathing or it rots, and untreated wood is combustible, so check the fire and WUI code first.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/vegetative-green-roof-maintenance-program/ - Green roof maintenance is the ongoing horticultural and waterproofing care a vegetative roof needs after installation. Neglect it and the planting dies, weeds take over, drains clog, and ponding water finds the membrane. The first one to two years of establishment care decide survival, and a scheduled program tied to the manufacturer warranty keeps the planting and the roof sound.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/traffic-deck-waterproofing-coating/ - A traffic coating is an elastomeric, usually urethane, waterproofing membrane applied to a concrete deck to keep water and chlorides out of the structure, not just to provide a wear surface. The system layers primer, a crack-bridging base coat, an aggregate broadcast for traction, and a top coat. The manufacturer, ASTM C957, and the engineer govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/suspended-scaffold-swing-stage-safety/ - A suspended scaffold, or swing stage, is a work platform hung from a building's roof on wire ropes to reach a facade for window cleaning, caulking, painting, restoration, or inspection. The rule that keeps workers alive is independence: the platform hangs on its suspension ropes, but each worker ties off to a separate, independent vertical lifeline. OSHA Subpart L governs.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/solar-ready-pv-roof-provisions/ - A solar-ready roof is one designed and built so a future PV array can go on without tearing the roof up. You reserve the structural capacity, keep a clear unshaded zone, run conduit pathways to electrical space, and match the roof and warranty to the array's life. The adopted code and the structural engineer govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/slate-roof-installation-repair/ - A slate roof is a steep-slope covering of natural stone shingles that lasts 75 to 150 years, far longer than any common roof. The slate outlives its metal flashings and fasteners, so it almost always fails at a rusted flashing, a corroded nail, or a slate cracked by foot traffic, not the stone. The manufacturer and adopted code control.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/scaffold-safety-supported-osha/ - Supported scaffold safety keeps a built work platform from collapsing, tipping, or dropping its crew: firm footing on base plates and mud sills, full planking, guardrails above about 10 feet, tie-ins past a 4 to 1 height-to-base ratio, and proper access. A competent person inspects it before each shift, and OSHA Subpart L and the AHJ govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/safety-incident-investigation-root-cause/ - Incident investigation is the disciplined response after an injury, near-miss, or property damage: care for the person, secure the scene, gather facts, find the root cause instead of blaming the worker, and fix the system so it cannot repeat. OSHA sets the reporting deadlines, but the standard and your state plan control the details.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/rooftop-permanent-fall-protection-systems/ - Permanent rooftop fall protection is the owner-installed system that protects workers who come to the roof for years to service equipment. Under OSHA's general industry rules in 1910 Subpart D, the duty is the owner's. Work the hierarchy: eliminate the hazard, then guardrails, then travel restraint, then fall arrest last.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-storm-hail-damage-insurance-restoration/ - Storm restoration is finding and documenting real hail or wind damage, helping the homeowner file and work the insurance claim, and replacing the roof to the approved scope. Most of the work is honest assessment, not the roof itself. This is education, not legal or insurance advice; the policy, a licensed public adjuster or attorney, and state law control.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-ponding-water-diagnosis-correction/ - Ponding water is rainwater that stays on a low-slope roof more than 48 hours after rain stops in drying weather, the criterion NRCA uses to judge drainage. It shortens membrane life, adds structural load near 5.2 lb per square foot per inch, and voids many warranties. Fix the drainage, not the symptom.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-asset-management-capital-planning/ - Roof asset management is the practice of treating every roof across a building portfolio as a tracked capital asset: an inventory of each roof, a condition rating and remaining-life estimate, preventive maintenance to stretch the life, and a multi-year capital plan that budgets and prioritizes repair, restoration, and replacement. The owner who plans spends less than the one who reacts.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/parapet-wall-base-flashing-detail/ - Parapet wall base flashing is the membrane or metal that turns up the wall above a low-slope roof edge and is capped by a counterflashing that sheds water over it. The roof-to-wall transition is one of the most leak-prone details on a building. The membrane manufacturer, NRCA, SMACNA, and the AHJ govern the heights.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/mast-climbing-work-platform-safety/ - A mast-climbing work platform (MCWP) is a powered deck that climbs a mast bolted to the building on a rack-and-pinion drive, giving facade crews a large, stable platform. Three things hold it up: the mast tied to the building within its free-standing limit, the base carrying the load, and the platform within its load chart. OSHA Subpart L governs.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/lead-generation-marketing-trades/ - Lead generation is the work of bringing a steady flow of qualified jobs to your business through referrals, reviews, Google, your website, repeat customers, and paid ads. In the trades the cheapest, best leads are referrals and repeat customers; the most expensive are cold paid. Most contractors leak leads by responding slowly and never tracking the source.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/ladder-safety-portable-osha/ - Safe portable ladder use means picking the right ladder for the height and duty rating, setting an extension ladder at the 4 to 1 angle, extending it about 3 feet above the landing, tying it off, keeping three points of contact, and never over-reaching past the side rails. OSHA 1926.1053, 1910.23, ANSI A14, and the AHJ govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/jobsite-housekeeping-slips-trips/ - Jobsite housekeeping is keeping the work area clean and clear of debris, cords, hoses, materials, spills, and protruding nails so the crew does not slip, trip, or fall. Clean as you go, keep walkways and exits clear, and cover holes. OSHA 1926.25, the walking-working surface rules, and the AHJ govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/jha-toolbox-talk-pre-task-planning/ - A job hazard analysis breaks a task into steps and matches each step to its hazard and a control. A toolbox talk is the short crew briefing on the day's hazard. Pre-task planning is the crew checking today's conditions before they start. Together they move safety to the point of work. OSHA and the company safety program set the expectations.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/emergency-board-up-tarping-securing/ - Emergency board-up and roof tarping is the first-response work that secures a building after a fire, storm, break-in, or impact, so weather, intruders, and further loss stay out while permanent repair is arranged. Do it in the first 24 hours, do it safely on a possibly unstable structure, anchor the tarp to shed water, and document everything for the claim.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/customer-database-crm-client-management/ - A customer database is the single organized record of every customer, property, job, quote, and conversation your business has had. It is the most valuable asset a contractor owns, because past customers are the cheapest leads you will ever work and the history survives when a salesperson leaves. Keep it in one system everyone updates.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/customer-communication-review-follow-up/ - Good customer communication is keeping the customer informed at every step, from the first call through the follow-up. In the trades the work quality is assumed, so the communication is what earns the review, the referral, and the repeat. Respond fast, set expectations, prove the work, then ask at the happy moment.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/construction-safety-program-osha/ - A construction safety program is the written plan and daily practices that keep a crew alive and a contractor compliant: the safety manual, training, toolbox talks, job hazard analyses, inspections, incident response, and records. OSHA 1926 sets the framework, but the competent person, the state plan, and the AHJ control how it applies.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/clay-concrete-tile-roof-installation/ - A clay or concrete tile roof uses fired clay or molded concrete tiles as a long-life outer layer that sheds water and takes the sun, but the underlayment beneath is the actual waterproofing. Tile is heavy, often 6 to 12 pounds per square foot, so verify the structure carries the load. The manufacturer, structural engineer, and adopted code control.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/building-insulation-air-sealing-envelope/ - Building insulation slows heat conduction and is rated in R-value, while air sealing stops air leaks that carry more energy and moisture than R-value alone. The building-science order is air seal first, then insulate. Make the air barrier continuous and control vapor for the climate, or the assembly traps moisture and rots. Energy code R-values vary by climate zone.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/blue-roof-controlled-flow-drainage/ - A blue roof is a low-slope roof built to hold rainwater on purpose and release it slowly through flow-restricting drains, so a downpour does not overwhelm the storm sewer. It meets stormwater detention rules without a ground pond, but the detained water adds weight, so a structural engineer and a ponding-rated membrane govern the design.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/ballasted-roof-system-installation/ - A ballasted roof holds a loose-laid single-ply membrane down with stone or concrete-paver ballast instead of fasteners or adhesive. The weight resists wind uplift. It is fast and economical on a low-slope building that can carry the load, but the ballast rate, height, exposure, and parapet are an engineered wind design under ANSI/SPRI RP-4, not a guess.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/steep-slope-asphalt-shingle-roofing/ - Steep-slope asphalt shingle roofing is a water-shedding roof of overlapping shingles for slopes of roughly 4:12 and steeper, where each course laps the one below so gravity carries water off. Shingles shed water, they are not waterproof, so below about 2:12 you switch to a membrane. The manufacturer instructions and adopted code control.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/snow-guard-retention-systems/ - Snow retention is a system of devices fixed to the roof, individual pad guards or continuous rails, that hold the snowpack in place so it melts and sheds gradually instead of releasing all at once as a dangerous avalanche off a slick or steep roof. The layout and attachment must be engineered to the snow load by the manufacturer.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/rooftop-solar-pv-mounting-racking/ - Rooftop solar mounting, or racking, is the hardware that holds a PV array on the roof and carries its weight and wind load into the structure. The attachment is where the roof leaks, so match the roof's remaining life to the array's 25-year life and re-roof first if it is close. Flashing, structural load, and wind uplift govern the rest.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roofing-underlayment-types-felt-synthetic/ - Roofing underlayment is the layer between the roof deck and the covering, a secondary water barrier that protects the deck if water gets past the shingles and a temporary dry-in before the covering goes on. The three types are asphalt felt, synthetic, and self-adhered ice and water shield. The manufacturer instructions and adopted code control.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roofing-system-types-overview-steep-low-slope/ - Roofing systems split into two families, and the slope decides which one. Steep-slope roofs shed water with overlapping materials like shingles, metal, tile, and slate, working above roughly 3:12. Low-slope roofs below about 2:12 hold water with a continuous membrane. NRCA slope guidelines, the manufacturer, and the adopted code control the line.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-warranty-types-ndl-coverage/ - A roof warranty is a manufacturer's or contractor's promise to fix specific defects under specific conditions. It is not insurance and not a maintenance contract. Coverage ranges from weak material-only to a no-dollar-limit (NDL) system warranty covering material and labor with no cap. The warranty document and required maintenance govern what is actually covered.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-tear-off-reroof-recover-decision/ - A roof recover installs a new membrane over the existing roof without tearing it off, while a tear-off strips the roof to the deck and rebuilds the assembly. The IBC allows no more than two roof coverings, and recover is barred over wet insulation or a deteriorated deck. A moisture survey settles the call.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-measurement-estimating-squares/ - Roof measurement is the takeoff that drives the material order and the bid, and it is done in squares, where one square equals 100 square feet of actual sloped roof area. You measure each roof plane, apply the slope factor for the pitch, total the squares, then add a waste factor. The manufacturer coverage and the pitch control the numbers.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-leak-diagnosis-troubleshooting/ - Roof leaks almost never start in the open field of the membrane. They start at the details: flashings, penetrations, curbs, drains, seams, and terminations. Water then travels along the deck before it drops, so the interior stain rarely sits below the entry. Chase the details uphill of the stain, and confirm with a water test or electronic leak detection.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-ice-dam-snow-load-management/ - An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the cold eave when heat escaping the house melts snow higher up the roof and the meltwater refreezes at the overhang. The dam backs water up under the shingles and into the building. The cure is stopping the heat loss, not changing the roof material.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-hatch-access-fall-protection/ - Roof access is how people get onto and off a roof to service equipment: a roof hatch, a fixed ladder, ships ladder, or stair below it, and fall protection at the opening and the roof edge. The opening itself is a fall hazard. OSHA and the IBC govern, and the AHJ controls the call.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-flashing-types-overview/ - Roof flashing is the metal or membrane that seals the joints, transitions, edges, and penetrations where the field roofing stops. Most roof leaks happen at the flashings, not the open field, so the flashing is the leak control. Each piece sheds water over the one below it, and the manufacturer's details govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-fall-protection-safety-osha/ - Roof fall protection prevents the falls that are the leading killer in construction. OSHA requires it at 6 feet above a lower level in construction work and 4 feet in general industry maintenance. Eliminate the hazard first, then use guardrails, then a personal fall arrest system, but the competent person and OSHA govern the plan.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-deck-substrate-types/ - A roof deck is the structural surface the roof system attaches to, and the deck type decides how you fasten, the assembly fire rating, and the wind uplift path. The common ones are steel, structural concrete, lightweight insulating concrete, gypsum, wood or plywood, and cementitious wood fiber. The manufacturer listing, FM approval, and adopted code control the assembly.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-attic-ventilation-intake-exhaust/ - Roof attic ventilation is a balanced system of intake vents low at the soffit and exhaust vents high at the ridge, so air moving through carries off summer heat and winter moisture. Balance is the rule: intake net free area equal to or greater than exhaust. The adopted code and shingle manufacturer control the amounts.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/metal-roof-types-comparison/ - Metal roofs split into two families by how the panel is fastened. Concealed-fastener standing seam locks above the water line and floats on clips, lasting 40 to 60 years. Exposed-fastener panels screw through the face, cost less, and leak first at the washers. The panel manufacturer governs slope, gauge, and warranty.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/fascia-soffit-eave-trim-installation/ - Fascia is the board at the roof edge that closes the rafter tails and carries the gutter. The soffit is the panel under the overhang that closes the eave and, when vented, feeds intake air to the attic. Together they finish the eave. The adopted code and manufacturer control venting.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/epdm-rubber-roof-installation/ - An EPDM roof is a single-ply membrane made of cured synthetic rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer, installed on low-slope commercial roofs. It is fully adhered, mechanically attached, or ballasted, and its seams are joined with splice tape and primer rather than heat-welded like TPO or PVC. The seam is where it leaks, so the seam prep controls the roof.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/cool-roof-reflectivity-energy/ - A cool roof has high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance, so it reflects most of the sun and re-radiates the heat it absorbs. That keeps the surface and the building cooler and cuts cooling load. Solar Reflectance Index combines both into one number, but the adopted energy code and the CRRC listing control compliance.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/built-up-roof-bur-installation/ - A built-up roof, the original tar and gravel roof, is a low-slope membrane made by alternating plies of reinforcing felt with mopped layers of bitumen, then topping the assembly with gravel, a cap sheet, or a coating. Typically 3 to 4 plies. The manufacturer's specification and NRCA guidance govern the buildup.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/vegetative-green-roof-installation/ - A vegetative or green roof is a planted assembly built over the waterproofing: root barrier, drainage layer, filter fabric, engineered media, and vegetation. It retains stormwater, cuts heat gain, and shields the membrane. The saturated weight governs everything, so a structural engineer must approve the load before anything goes down.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/standing-seam-metal-roof-installation/ - A standing seam metal roof is a metal panel system whose seams are raised above the water line and locked together over concealed clips, so no fasteners pierce the panel face. The clips let the panels float as they expand and contract with temperature. The panel manufacturer's details govern slope, clips, and seam type.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/spray-polyurethane-foam-spf-roof/ - A spray polyurethane foam (SPF) roof is a closed-cell foam sprayed as a monolithic, self-flashing, insulating surface, then covered with an elastomeric coating for UV protection. The foam insulates and builds slope, but bare foam breaks down in sunlight, so it must be coated and recoated. The manufacturer and SPFA guidelines govern the thickness.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/skylight-curb-installation-flashing/ - A skylight leaks at the flashing and the curb far more often than at the glass. On a low-slope roof the unit sits on a curb roughly 8 in above the finished roof, so the membrane flashes up the curb under the skylight's own cap. The manufacturer's flashing kit and roof warranty govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/single-ply-membrane-seam-qa/ - On a single-ply roof the field of the membrane rarely leaks. The seams, the flashings, and the penetrations do, so seam QC is the roof QC. TPO and PVC seams are hot-air welded into one material; EPDM is taped. The membrane manufacturer's specification and warranty govern the weld and the inspection.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/single-ply-attachment-methods-wind/ - Single-ply attachment is how the membrane and insulation are held to the deck against wind uplift. The four methods are mechanically attached, fully adhered, induction-welded, and ballasted. Each carries a tested uplift rating that must match the design wind load. FM Global, ASCE 7, and the manufacturer's listing control the assembly.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/rooftop-equipment-support-walkway/ - Rooftop equipment, pipe, conduit, and duct all need support that holds the load and the movement without leaking or crushing the roof. The roof is a waterproofing system, so the preferred support is non-penetrating: rubber blocks or sleepers that spread the load on a protection pad. Walkway pads protect the membrane at traffic. The manufacturer and the roof warranty govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-vapor-retarder-air-barrier/ - A roof vapor retarder slows water vapor diffusing through the assembly, rated by perm; a roof air barrier stops air leakage, which carries far more moisture than diffusion. Often one membrane does both. In cold climates it goes on the warm, interior side of the insulation, but climate zone, interior humidity, and the project spec control whether you need one.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-penetration-flashing-details/ - On a low-slope commercial roof the field of the membrane rarely leaks. The penetrations, curbs, and terminations do, so the flashing details are where the roof is won or lost. A pipe gets a prefab boot first, a field wrap next, and a pourable sealer pocket only as a last resort. The membrane manufacturer's details govern.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-insulation-cover-board-attachment/ - Roof insulation is the rigid board layer between the deck and the membrane that carries the R-value and builds the slope. A cover board sits on top to protect the membrane from hail and foot traffic. Polyiso runs about R-5 to R-6 per inch, but the energy code, FM approval, and the manufacturer warranty control the assembly.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-inspection-maintenance-program/ - A roof inspection and maintenance program is a scheduled cycle of documented roof inspections and minor repairs that keeps a commercial roof watertight and the warranty valid. Industry practice, following NRCA guidance, is to inspect twice a year, in spring and fall, plus after any major storm. The manufacturer warranty and project documents govern the required maintenance.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-expansion-joint-installation/ - A roof expansion joint is the watertight detail that lets a roof move with the building at a structural expansion joint without tearing the membrane. It is built on two raised curbs with the membrane flashed up both sides and a flexible bellows cover spanning the gap, never a flat membrane joint. The membrane manufacturer's detail governs.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-drainage-scupper-drain-sizing/ - Roof drainage is the system that moves rainwater off a roof: primary drains or scuppers for normal rain, plus an independent secondary overflow set about 2 in above the low point in case the primary clogs. Size both for the design rainfall over the drained area. The adopted plumbing code and a structural rain-load check control the numbers.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-cricket-tapered-insulation/ - A roof cricket, also called a saddle, is a raised sloped diverter that splits water around a curb, wall, or penetration so it drains instead of ponding. On a dead-flat structural deck, tapered insulation builds the slope. Both target the industry minimum of 1/4 in per ft, but the membrane manufacturer's warranty and the adopted code control the numbers.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/roof-coating-mil-thickness-yield/ - Roof coating mil thickness is the depth of cured coating on the roof, measured in mils, thousandths of an inch, and yield is the coverage that ties those mils to the gallons you order. A restoration coating only performs and only holds its warranty at the manufacturer's dry mil thickness, so the spec governs both the mils and the gallons.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/modified-bitumen-roof-installation/ - Modified bitumen is an asphalt-based sheet roofing membrane reinforced with polyester or fiberglass and modified with SBS rubber or APP plastic, installed in multiple plies for redundancy. SBS is usually torched, mopped, cold-applied, or self-adhered; APP is torched. The membrane manufacturer's specification and the project documents govern the buildup.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/metal-roof-restoration-coating/ - Metal roof restoration renews an aging, rusting metal roof in place by treating the rust, repairing the backed-out fasteners and the leaking seams, and coating the whole roof, instead of a tear-off. It fits a roof that is structurally sound but corroding, not one rusted through. The coating manufacturer's system governs the prep, the primer, and the mils.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/low-slope-roof-coating-restoration-system/ - A roof restoration coating is a fluid-applied membrane that renews an aging but sound low-slope roof, sealing it and adding reflectivity without a tear-off. It fits where the deck and insulation are dry and the substrate is sound, not where the roof has failed. The manufacturer's system and warranty govern the substrate, the prep, and the mils.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/low-slope-membrane-selection-tpo-epdm-pvc/ - There is no single best low-slope membrane. TPO, PVC, and EPDM each win in specific conditions. PVC resists grease and chemicals, EPDM has the longest field track record and cold flexibility, and TPO is the reflective middle-cost option. The building's exposure, climate, attachment, and the manufacturer's warranty govern the pick, not brand loyalty.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/gutter-downspout-exterior-drainage/ - Exterior gutters catch the roof runoff at the eave and downspouts carry it down and away from the building. Size the gutter cross-section to the roof area draining to it and the local design rainfall, then add enough downspouts to empty it. The adopted plumbing code, SMACNA, and the project spec control the numbers.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/electronic-leak-detection-survey/ - Electronic leak detection (ELD) finds a breach in a roof or waterproofing membrane by running an electrical current that water carries through the hole to the grounded conductive deck below, then locating that current path. It needs a nonconductive membrane over a grounded conductive substrate. ASTM D7877 covers the methods; the project spec governs.
- https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/edge-metal-coping-wind-design/ - Roof edge metal is the fascia, coping, and drip edge that caps the perimeter of a low-slope roof. In a wind event the edge lifts first, and once it peels the wind gets under the membrane and unzips the field. ANSI/SPRI ES-1 governs its wind design, but the project documents and the adopted code control.

Calculators (5):
- https://anvilfield.com/calculators/fall-clearance-calculator/ - Find the clearance a personal fall arrest system needs below the anchor: free fall + deceleration + worker height + a safety margin.
- https://anvilfield.com/calculators/insulation-r-value-thickness-calculator/ - Find the insulation thickness for a target R-value: thickness = target R divided by the material's R per inch.
- https://anvilfield.com/calculators/ladder-angle-setback-calculator/ - Set a ladder safely with the 4 to 1 rule: base setback = height to contact divided by four.
- https://anvilfield.com/calculators/paint-coating-coverage-calculator/ - Find the paint or coating needed: gallons = area x coats / the coverage rate, plus waste.
- https://anvilfield.com/calculators/roof-squares-pitch-calculator/ - Estimate roofing squares from the building footprint and the pitch: roof area = footprint x the pitch multiplier, and one square is 100 square feet.

Readiness checks (9):
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/building-envelope-energy-readiness/ - A 2 minute check on whether the air barrier, insulation, and moisture control are working together, before high bills, condensation, or rot prove they are not.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/commercial-roof-maintenance-readiness/ - A 2 minute check on whether your low-slope roof is on a real maintenance program, before a clogged drain or a skipped inspection turns into an interior leak and a voided warranty.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/drone-inspection-readiness/ - A 2 minute check on whether your drone inspections are flown legally, capture the thermal data that matters, and feed a report the crew can act on.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/facade-access-safety-readiness/ - A 2 minute check on whether your swing stage, mast climber, or scaffold is rigged, tied, loaded, and tied off so a failure does not drop someone off the building.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/fall-protection-program-compliance/ - A 2 minute check on the program OSHA actually looks for, before a fall or an inspection finds the gap for you.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/jobsite-safety-program-readiness/ - A 2 minute check on whether your crews are actually protected from the hazards that kill in the trades, before an injury or an OSHA inspection finds the gap for you.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/siding-installation-readiness/ - A 2 minute check on whether your siding job has the water barrier, flashing, and install details that actually keep the wall dry.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/single-ply-seam-qa-readiness/ - A 2-minute check that catches the missing trial weld, the unprobed seam, and the untested deck before they cost you the warranty.
- https://anvilfield.com/quizzes/storm-damage-restoration-readiness/ - A quick check of whether your crew has the verification, test squares, photos, and legal guardrails a storm claim needs before tear-off.

Comparisons (11):
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/asphalt-shingle-vs-metal-roof/ - Asphalt shingle vs Standing-seam metal
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/built-up-vs-single-ply-roof/ - Built-up roof (BUR) vs Single-ply membrane
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/epdm-vs-pvc-roof/ - EPDM membrane vs PVC membrane
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/mechanically-attached-vs-adhered-single-ply/ - Mechanically-attached single-ply vs Fully-adhered single-ply
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/modified-bitumen-vs-bur/ - Modified bitumen vs Built-up roof (BUR)
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/roof-tear-off-vs-recover/ - Tear-off vs Recover (overlay)
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/slate-vs-tile-roof/ - Natural slate vs Clay or concrete tile
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/spray-foam-vs-single-ply-roof/ - Spray polyurethane foam vs Single-ply membrane
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/standing-seam-vs-exposed-fastener-metal/ - Standing-seam metal vs Exposed-fastener metal
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/tpo-vs-epdm-roof/ - TPO membrane vs EPDM membrane
- https://anvilfield.com/compare/tpo-vs-pvc-roof/ - TPO membrane vs PVC membrane

Offline field apps (8):
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/blindside_spark_dc/ - Sets spark holiday-test voltage, maps membrane holidays, and exports a signed survey package.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/cricketwright/ - Sizes roof crickets at twice the field slope and counts tapered polyiso boards into a cut-and-stack layout.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/drainpassroof/ - Checks roof slope, crickets, and 48-hour ponding tests against the stamped plan on low-slope roofs.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/filmproof/ - Records dry-film-thickness readings, runs SSPC-PA2 spot and area math, and exports a signed conformance report.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/panelrun/ - Lays out metal roof panels per plane with panel count, seam layout, sliver split, and cut lengths.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/steelcoattakeoff/ - Offline structural-steel coating takeoffs for paintable sqft, coat gallons, kit counts, and bid sheets.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/upliftzone/ - Draws ASCE 7-22 roof wind zones, computes uplift pressures, and exports a counted fastening-plan PDF.
- https://anvilfield.com/subapps/vector_map_dc/ - Plans roof electronic leak detection surveys, pins breaches on a grid, and exports the report.

Printable pack: https://anvilfield.com/field-guides/roofing/pack/ - every roofing threshold, spec, and code in one PDF

Field notes (21):
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-tapered-insulation-before-membrane/ - A useful roofing packet proves the tapered layout, drain sumps, crickets, saddles, board fit, attachment, cover board, photos, and exceptions before membrane hides the work.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-abandoned-roof-penetration-removal-patch-photo-record-before-warranty-closeout/ - A useful abandoned-penetration closeout packet ties the removed service, roof opening, deck closure, substrate infill, membrane patch, weld checks, photos, holds, and warranty-release boundary together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-loose-roof-material-and-temporary-cover-securement-photo-record-before-wind-advisory-handoff/ - A useful wind-advisory handoff shows the roof area, forecast trigger, staged material, covered and secured rolls or bundles, drain paths, edge and storage limits, corrections, photos, and exact hold boundary before wind can move the jobsite.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-rooftop-pv-stanchion-flashing-boot-ballast-tray-clearance-wire-management-block-service-walkway-gap-and-warranty-photo-record-before-array-turnover/ - A roofing field record for PV stanchion flashing boots, ballast tray clearance, wire-management blocks, service walkways, and warranty handoff before array turnover.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-curb-cricket-saddle-upslope-diverter-counterflashing-return-and-ponding-photo-record-before-warranty-leak-walk/ - A field record for proving what was seen at a non-hatch roof curb before a warranty leak walk closes, holds, or redirects the item.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-drain-overflow-scupper-leader-discharge-splash-pad-and-ponding-photo-record-before-storm-turnover/ - Before a low-slope roof is handed off for storm exposure, the turnover packet should tie each primary drain, overflow scupper, leader discharge, splash pad, ponding mark, debris condition, correction, and maintenance note to a dated photo record.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-wall-counterflashing-termination-photo-record-before-leak-investigation-closeout/ - A useful leak closeout packet ties the complaint boundary, wall area, base flashing termination, counterflashing, reglet or surface-mounted detail, sealant, repair, retest, photos, limits, and closeout decision together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-walkway-pad-layout-photo-record-before-maintenance-traffic-release/ - A useful roof traffic release packet ties the access point, equipment route, pad layout, drainage gaps, seams, flashings, pre-cover photos, safety limits, and reviewer decision together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-green-roof-drain-inspection-box-grate-root-barrier-edge-growing-media-depth-marker-overflow-scupper-access-and-irrigation-isolation-tag-photo-record-before-maintenance-turnover/ - A roofing field record for green roof drains, root barrier edges, growing media depth, overflow scuppers, and irrigation isolation before maintenance turnover.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-gutter-strap-and-downspout-outlet-photo-record-before-storm-turnover/ - A useful storm-turnover packet ties the roof area, gutter run, approved basis, straps, hangers, brackets, outlets, downspouts, joints, debris, discharge path, corrections, photos, and turnover limits together before the first storm tests the work.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-drain-sump-photo-record-before-coating-release/ - A useful drain-sump release packet proves the roof area, drain or scupper ID, sump condition, hardware status, prep, detail coating, reinforcement, photos, open holds, and release boundary before coating hides the evidence.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-temporary-roof-membrane-tie-in-and-night-seal-photo-record-before-storm-exposure-handoff/ - A useful storm-exposure handoff packet ties the open-roof boundary, loose membrane edges, temporary waterstop, drainage path, monitor assignment, photos, and next-shift reopening limits together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-hatch-curb-flashing-photo-record-before-warranty-leak-walk/ - A useful warranty leak-walk packet ties the hatch ID, roof area, curb, base flashing, counterflashing, gasket, latch, access, ponding evidence, repair, retest, photos, limits, and reviewer decision together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-scupper-overflow-opening-photo-record-before-storm-leak-punchlist-closeout/ - A useful storm leak closeout packet ties the punch item, roof area, primary and overflow paths, scupper opening, sleeve, flange, liner, debris, ponding evidence, repair, follow-up, photos, limits, and reviewer decision together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-edge-metal-cleat-fastening-photo-record-before-wind-warranty-closeout/ - A useful roof edge closeout packet ties the roof area, wind-zone basis, approved edge profile, cleat or retainer fastening, substrate, joints, scuppers, corrections, rechecks, photos, and warranty-release limits together before covers hide the evidence.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-coating-thickness-record-before-warranty-walk/ - A useful roof coating thickness packet ties the roof area, coating system, warranty target, wet-film checks, dry-film verification, material lots, repairs, photos, and final exceptions together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-pipe-boot-and-pitch-pan-sealant-photo-record-before-maintenance-leak-closeout/ - A useful maintenance leak-closeout packet separates pipe boots, split boots, and pitch pans, then ties the penetration ID, approved basis, surface prep, primer, pocket fill, boot clamp, weather, cure, correction photos, rechecks, and closeout limits together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-parapet-cap-slope-photo-record-before-metal-coping-release/ - A useful parapet coping release packet proves the roof area, parapet run, approved detail, slope direction, cap substrate, liner status, cleats, clips, joints, corners, photos, holds, and release boundary before metal coping hides the evidence.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-plaza-deck-drain-mat-lap-pedestal-paver-spacer-overflow-scupper-path-insulation-taper-and-flood-test-tag-photo-record-before-paver-reset/ - A field record for tying plaza deck flood-test status, drain mat laps, protection layer, insulation taper, pedestal layout, paver spacers, drain access, overflow scupper path, exceptions, and paver reset release together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-membrane-seam-probe-photo-record-before-final-warranty-release/ - A useful seam-probe closeout packet ties the roof area, seam map, test welds, cooled probe photos, marked voids, repairs, re-probes, holds, and warranty-release limits together.
- https://anvilfield.com/blog/roofing-roof-expansion-joint-cover-splice-photo-record-before-seasonal-leak-turnover/ - A useful seasonal leak-turnover packet ties the roof area, joint run, approved movement basis, bellows, rails, cleats, cover splices, endcaps, transitions, debris, corrections, rechecks, and turnover limits together before wet weather tests the joint.