Sunday, April 07, 2024

The Condos got a new roof.

It's only taken a year, but the wonderful rich full bodied smell of boiling tar is finally gone.

I've been living in this new place for 5 months and there has been a large roofing crew here the entire time.  They move like locust from one building to the next putting on new roofs.  Imagine a very slow line of army ants going down through 36 separate buildings...  

I asked several questions about the procedure.  #1.) Are you gonna do my building?  (cars cant park at home while the work is done)  *answer: Already done before I arrived.   #2.) How long have you been working here?  *answer: A Year.   #3.) When will you finish?  *answer: This Week!



The 'tar', or Roofing Asphalt is sent on pallets in 90lb. rolls covered with paper.
The operator tears off the paper and chops up the roll before melting.

This guy told me he heats the tar to the molten temperature of 450*F.  
It has to be a very thin liquid so they can pump it up the pipe to the roof.



*NOTE: I did NOT go up on the roof, nor would they let me climb a ladder, so my view is from street level.  After they flood, mop the roof with thick liquid Asphalt, they cover it with gravel.  Then come down and drive away!

I wish you could be here and smell the fresh hot steaming TAR!
Be here in my living room, or within several blocks... depending on the breeze.

UPDATE:  I just found out, it's been an ongoing project for 20 months.