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Is it safe to walk on a metal roof of a metal building?

I'm looking to buy a metal warehouse building. The walls and roof are dirty and need cleaning. While the structure is plenty sound, I'm wondering how safe it is to walk on the roof. I was wondering if all metal roofs are built strong enough to support a person walking on it.

Update:

For other types of roofs in colder climates, building codes specify a load capacity to hold up under snow. Here in Houston, such support does not apply. As the roof itself is very light, it doesn't need to be very strong to shed off rain.

4 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    i've done a lot of work on metal roofs, and i have only came across 1 that was too thin to walk on. it wasn't that it wouldn't support me either, (230lbs) it just bent, and dented when i walked on it. this just simply made it look ugly... feel a corner or edge if you can find one. if you can bend it easily with your fingers, it's too thin, but if it's quite rigid, and you can't bend it without plyers, it should hold up to your boots!

    not sure where you are, but where i am, we are starting to get frost. take EXTRA care on those metal roofs during this coming winter season!

    Source(s): plumber/gasfitter
  • 1 decade ago

    As long as you aren't a fatty, you should be ok. I walk on mine all the time, just make sure to walk on the frame trusses and not the open panels. Much safer.

  • 1 decade ago

    typically this is ok, walk on the fixings and you don't need to worry about how big you are, i know of a 300 pound roofer he does quite well. Harness your self if it to steep.walk where you haven't washed it can get slippery.

  • jim1
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    if cant tell by looking at it yourself hire a consulting engineer and pay him to assess the situation something of that nature .

    hard to believe you can put enough together to buy the building but dont have smarts enough to deal with a simple maintenance aspect

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