Occupation

Roofers

Human Advantage 66%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
3.2 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, or related materials. May spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures.

Also Known As: Aluminum Shingle Roofer, Asbestos Shingle Roofer, Commercial Roofer, Commercial Roofing Tech (Commercial Roofing Technician), Composition Roofer, Cool Roofing Installer, Gravel Roofer, Gutter Installer +30 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
  2. Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
  3. Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs.
  4. Estimate materials and labor required to complete roofing jobs.
  5. Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight.
  6. Install partially overlapping layers of material over roof insulation surfaces, using chalk lines, gauges on shingling hatchets, or lines on shingles.
  7. Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces.
  8. Apply plastic coatings, membranes, fiberglass, or felt over sloped roofs before applying shingles.
  9. Install, repair, or replace single-ply roofing systems, using waterproof sheet materials such as modified plastics, elastomeric, or other asphaltic compositions.
  10. Attach roofing paper to roofs in overlapping strips to form bases for other materials.
  11. Cover roofs or exterior walls of structures with slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, gravel, gypsum, or related materials, using brushes, knives, punches, hammers, or other tools.
  12. Waterproof or damp-proof walls, floors, roofs, foundations, or basements by painting or spraying surfaces with waterproof coatings or by attaching waterproofing membranes to surfaces.
  13. Apply reflective roof coatings, such as special paints or single-ply roofing sheets, to existing roofs to reduce solar heat absorption.
  14. Apply alternate layers of hot asphalt or tar and roofing paper to roofs.
  15. Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation on flat roofs.
  16. Cover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust.
  17. Smooth rough spots to prepare surfaces for waterproofing, using hammers, chisels, or rubbing bricks.
  18. Glaze top layers to make a smooth finish or embed gravel in the bitumen for rough surfaces.
  19. Mop or pour hot asphalt or tar onto roof bases.
  20. Install attic ventilation systems, such as turbine vents, gable or ridge vents, or conventional or solar-powered exhaust fans.
  21. Install skylights on roofs to increase natural light inside structures or to reduce energy costs.
  22. Apply gravel or pebbles over top layers of roofs, using rakes or stiff-bristled brooms.

Supplemental Tasks (5)

  1. Spray roofs, sidings, or walls to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures, using spray guns, air compressors, or heaters.
  2. Attach solar panels to existing roofs, according to specifications and without damaging roofing materials or the structural integrity of buildings.
  3. Punch holes in slate, tile, terra cotta, or wooden shingles, using punches and hammers.
  4. Apply modular soil- and plant-containing grids over existing roof membranes to create green roofs.
  5. Install layers of vegetation-based green roofs, including protective membranes, drainage, aeration, water retention and filter layers, soil substrates, irrigation materials, and plants.

Education & Training

Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
49%
Less than a High School Diploma
26%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
11%
Some College Courses
8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.
2%
Doctoral Degree
2%
Post-Doctoral Training
2%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word

Software (23)

  • ASR Software LWC-Plus
  • ASR Software Taper-Plus
  • ASR Software TopView LE
  • ASR Software TopView ME
  • AppliCad Roof Wizard
  • CADAFIS
  • DigiTools Roof CAD
  • Energy cost evaluation software
  • Exele TopView
  • Humidity and vapor drive calculation software
  • Insight Direct ServiceCEO
  • Maintenance record software
  • Roof Pro Estimate Software Roof Pro
  • RoofLogic
  • Roofing Calculator
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Wintac Pro
  • Word processing software
  • Ziatek RoofDraw

Tools & Equipment (133)

  • Adjustable roof brackets
  • Air compressors
  • Angle knives
  • Axes
  • Bench-mount hand brakes
  • Bitumen applicators
  • Carpenters' hatchets
  • Caulking guns
  • Chalk line markers
  • Chicken ladders
  • Circular saws
  • Claw hammers
  • Cleat benders
  • Clipping shears
  • Compound snips
  • Core cutters
  • Corner roofing seamers
  • Desktop computers
  • Double-burner pump kettles
  • Double-lock seamers
  • Downspout crimpers
  • Draw knives
  • Electronic leak detectors
  • Fall arrest systems
  • Fixed-roof brackets
  • Foot squaring shears
  • Gas-powered chop saws
  • Gravelers
  • Grooving tools
  • Hammer tackers
  • Hammers
  • Hand crimpers
  • Hand punches
  • Hand roofing double seamers
  • Heat welders
  • Heating torches
  • Hoisting wheels
  • Hot air blowers
  • Hot air welding machines
  • Hot or cold process power gravelers
  • Hydraulic swing beam hoists
  • Infrared thermometers
  • Korker cleats
  • Ladder braces
  • Ladder jacks
  • Ladder levelers
  • Ladder standoffs
  • Ladders
  • Laser printers
  • Long ladder hoisting wheels
  • Measuring tapes
  • Measuring wheels
  • Membrane slitters
  • Metric roofing hatchets
  • Nail hammers
  • Nail pullers
  • Nail strippers
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Plastic hammers
  • Pneumatic air nailers
  • Pointing trowels
  • Pop rivet guns
  • Power drills
  • Power hoists
  • Power roof cutters
  • Power roof rippers
  • Propane torches
  • Pry bars
  • Putty knives
  • Reciprocating saws
  • Riggers' axes
  • Rip hammers
  • Rolling magnetic sweepers
  • Roof dryers
  • Roof hooks
  • Roof pitch finders
  • Roofing coil nailers
  • Roofing guardrails
  • Roofing knives
  • Roofing layout tapes
  • Roofing seamers
  • Roofing shoes
  • Roofing spades
  • Roofing tearoff forks
  • Rotary machines
  • Round-point trowels
  • Safety belts
  • Safety lanyards
  • Scaffolding
  • Scraper/pullers
  • Seam finishing machines
  • Seaming chisels
  • Seaming hammers
  • Seaming pliers
  • Semiautomatic welding machines
  • Shake tear-off tools
  • Shears
  • Sheet metal hand tongs
  • Shingle ladder hoists
  • Shingle rippers
  • Shingle saws
  • Shingle shovels
  • Short ladder hoisting wheels
  • Single burner draw kettles
  • Single burner pump kettles
  • Single seamers
  • Slate cutters
  • Slate hammers
  • Slate rippers
  • Slaters' anvils
  • Snips
  • Soldering irons
  • Spud bars
  • Spud/scraper bars
  • Standard roofing hatchets
  • Straight snips
  • Tar mops
  • Tear-off bars
  • Tear-off shovels
  • Tin snips
  • Tinsmith pliers
  • Torches
  • Triangular scales
  • Trolley track hoists
  • Trowels
  • Two-handed edgers
  • Utility knives
  • Welding hoods
  • Wood chisels
  • Wood shingling hatchets
  • Wrecking bars

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Skilled Trades Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 2
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