Roof Replacement and Your Pond
In 2023, the Colorado Front Range experienced severe hailstorms that caused significant damage to roofs across the state. The hail ranged in size from small to larger than golf balls. If you experience this type of hail you may need to consider roof replacement – but don’t forget your pond!
Look, I didn’t have to read about this in Google News – it happened to us. We had hail larger than golf balls!
To my untrained eye, the roof looked fine. To the 4 different roofing companies we called, the roof had been basically destroyed. And yes, the insurance adjuster who came out completely agreed.
The widespread damage in this area led to an influx of roofing contractors and insurance claims out everywhere making bids and helping people get their roofs repaired.
But here’s the thing -amidst the chaos of repairing or replacing roofs, pond owners may not even realize the great risk the potentially large cost reroofing can cause if the pond is not protected.
The risks - it's not if, it's when.
Removing the old shingles causes roof debris and NAILS to fall off the roof. This seems obvious, doesn’t it?
While they may use nail guns to put on new shingles, and they may tell you that nails won’t end up on the ground, do you know how many ponds I have been to that have had more than handfuls of nails in them? YES! I’ve seen it over and over again during cleanouts and calls about water loss.
The nails get wedged between rocks and eventually puncture the liner. This type of issue is not easily discovered and can go unnoticed for years, causing the water bill to creep up and up.
This is a photo of our pond during the roof replacement. We used T-posts and rope to put up a heavy duty tarp at sort of an angle. That way the pond still had air circulation, but any nails dropped should be caught.
Nails and ponds DO NOT MIX.
A pond must be protected during roof replacement. It is crucial to communicate with the roofing contractor about the presence of the pond and its vulnerability. This will allow the contractor to take extra precautions, such as erecting temporary barriers or covering the pond to shield it from falling debris or dust generated during the construction work.
Most roofers I have spoken to did not realize the potential cost of repair to a pond. They did not realize that their work could upset the water quality of the pond and kill all my fish. They certainly had no idea of the replacement cost of those fish. (Not to mention my emotional attachment to them).
How to protect the pond
A tarp alone over the pond won’t do it. If any heavy debris falls on it the tarp will be ripped or sink in.
The roofing process usually can be completed in a day or 2. However, with warm temperatures a tarp over the pond for too long could heat it up too fast and be detrimental to the fish.
Here is what we did. We put up T-stakes as poles on either side of the pond. We strung a cord across them in 2 places so that we could drape a tarp over it, that covered the whole length of the pond. The tarp was not flat over the pond but angled up away from the house so that there was still good airflow and yet, no nails or roofing debris could end up in the pond.
But is protecting the pond during roof repair worth the trouble?
Did you know a reline of a pond could be anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000 and more depending on the dimensions of the pond, and the size of the boulders in it? Have you considered the other landscape damage that could occur if they have to bring in equipment to do the pond work? Have you considered the money it would take to replace your fish? My fish are pretty large. It would take thousands of dollars to replace them at their current type and size.
Has anyone thought about the fact that a roof takes 1 or 2 days but pond repair could take weeks?
If you can’t hear my tone through my writing let me clarify it for you… I am getting louder and louder as I am writing this (ok, it’s only in my head) because it is well worth the trouble and can save thousands of dollars and even more in your time and effort to protect the pond before repairing a roof within 20 feet of the pond.
Clear communication with the roofing company
After speaking with a handful of roofing companies, one of them really understood the situation.
Whomever you use, communicate with them very clearly about the pond and potential problems. You can ensure the safety and well-being of your koi during the roof replacement process with careful planning and attention.
