What precautions to take when working on roof-mounted appliances?

[bkncd]

I've seen a number of comments warning against climbing on the roof of the TM. I am considering a MicroAir soft start for my Coleman Mach III. The previous owner sealed the seams before I purchased it, so that shouldn't be needed anytime soon.

I've seen recommendations to create a scaffolding by laying a 2x10 across two ladders so that we don't get on the roof.

I've also seen folks suggest that laying down plywood in order to distribute body weight and eliminate potential dents from knees and elbows.

How do you work on the roof?

 

[Bill]

.....In past years, I have worked on the roof using the plywood approach, without issues, even when I weighed more than 200 lbs. However, as I get older (and wiser?) I would not do it again. It is a classic risk-benefit tradeoff. The benefit is convenience - you save 20 minutes setting up and taking down the ladders-and-plank. The risk is that if you are unlucky, or a bit careless, or maybe your TM has a weak area in the roof, you may dent, puncture, or even cave in part of it, and spend the rest of your life regretting the choice.
.....In my life, I have made quite a number of risk-benefit choices, sometimes choosing "reasonable" risk. I have regretted only a few of them. But they taught me to consider carefully the implications of making a seemingly-reasonable but wrong choice.

Signed Bill (ye olde philosopher)

 

[bkncd]

I weigh a bit north of 225, but I'm working on it. So I feel like I'd need plywood the size of Texas to effectively distribute my weight. That, along with the nuances of the TM roof system and how it sheds water, made me uneasy with the plywood option. Being new to the TM, I wanted to know it my concern was warranted or just me overthinking.

Thanks again for the reinforcement!

 

[Wavery]

I've seen a number of comments warning against climbing on the roof of the TM. I am considering a MicroAir soft start for my Coleman Mach III. The previous owner sealed the seams before I purchased it, so that shouldn't be needed anytime soon.

I've seen recommendations to create a scaffolding by laying a 2x10 across two ladders so that we don't get on the roof.

I've also seen folks suggest that laying down plywood in order to distribute body weight and eliminate potential dents from knees and elbows.

How do you work on the roof?

Most of the work can be done from a ladder and reaching over. If you feel the need to get on the roof, you can lay a 2x4 on each edge of the roof and lay your 2'x7' piece of 5/8" plywood across the roof. If you feel the need for further support, you could cut some 1" thick Styrofoam pieces and place them under the plywood, ~halfway from the outer edge and the center on each side.

I'm pretty tall so I've never had to climb on the roof but a have sat on the edge of the roof to install a "Fast Start" capacitor in my A/C unit.