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Blisters are most common on membrane roofing systems. Lots of contractors will tell you that if there are no signs of further damage, there might not be any need to repair flat roof blisters. They form when pockets of air or water get trapped between layers of the roof’s membrane or between the membrane and the frame. When the sun is out and it heats the pockets expand and stretch the membrane. If you do want to repair your flat roof blisters, there are a few ways to go about it.

If you have a membrane flat roof, cut away the membrane until you reach a place where the membrane is still stuck tightly to the roof. Reapply as many new membrane layers as you cut away over the blistered area. You might even need to do more. To make sure your patch remains watertight, you’ll need to leave at least 6 inches around the edges of the blister.

If you’ve got a felt roof, you can cut an X shape through the blister. Peel back the triangles that you’ve made and let the timber frame dry for a while (so don’t do this when rain is forecast!). Then, coat the area with lots of bitumen adhesive and leave it to dry until it feels tacky. Then press down the triangles of felt firmly into the adhesive.

After that, you’ll need to add more bitumen adhesive to the cuts you made. If you’ve got any spare roofing felt, cut a square that’s about 100mm bigger than the cuts then lay this over the adhesive. If you’ve not got any felt, it’s cheaper to use a self-adhesive flashing strip. Once you’ve laid the strip or patch over, seal the edges with more bitumen adhesive.

In general, no – you don’t need planning permission for a Velux window. The Planning Portal says that you don’t need to apply for planning permission to install a roof window if the following conditions are met:

• A roof window must not protrude more than 150 millimetres above the existing roof plane
No roof window or any other alteration can be higher than the highest part of the roof or stand out above the roof ridge
• Side-facing windows must have obscure glazing to protect privacy of neighbours and, if they open, they must be 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which they are installed

You don’t need to apply for planning permission for a roof window because they are covered under permitted development rights. However, if you’re a leaseholder or you live in a building where your local authority has made an Article 4 Direction, you will have to apply. Usually, an Article 4 Direction is made when you live in a conservation area where any external home improvements could affect the character and look of the area. Luckily, there are special Velux windows that are designed to be more likely to be accepted by your local planning authority. They’re called conservation windows and, although there’s still no guarantee that they will be accepted, they are designed to look more traditional. Even if you don’t need planning permission for your roof window, you still need to follow any relevant building regulations for your local authority. The most important parts for Velux windows are section J and section L of building regulations, which refer to energy efficiency, thermal insulation and fire protection.

Will My Roof Leak With Missing Ridge Tiles?

Your roof is the first line of defence against the elements. Therefore, if you want your home protected at all times, there’s a need to ensure a professional inspection of your home at least once a year. However, there are certain issues that you do not have to wait for a professional to be able to spot by yourself. And an example of this includes a missing ridge tile. This issue is noticeable from the ground level while some tiles may even fall off and notifying you in the process. If you’re currently facing this kind of challenge, you’d probably want to know if the missing ridge tiles can cause your roof to leak. In this article, we aim to answer this question and more. Let’s take a look!

Firstly, there are a number of causes of missing tiles or slates and the most obvious is the weather. When the wind or rain gets very high, it can pull your tiles out of place and even more more, if they weren’t properly installed in the first place. Secondly, there’s also a chance that the nails may wear away. These are the nails that holds your ridge tiles in place, they can rust and wear away, hence leading to missing ridge tiles.

Therefore, the short answer to the question is yes, missing ridge tiles can cause your roof to leak. Even if it doesn’t leave a visible gap in your roof’s covering, it’ll create a break in the roof which weather can easily penetrate. And allowing this to happen makes the other tiles more susceptible to damage which won’t be good for the entire house as well as your pocket. Hence, once you notice a missing ridge tile ensure to have it replaced as soon as possible.

Knowing when best to clean your gutters can do a lot of good. Wile some people assume that fall is the best time for gutter cleaning after the leaves fall, others believe spring is the most appropriate time to clean the gutters before things start to grow there. The truth is, both camps are right. However, the best time to clean your gutters depend on a wide range of factors which are all unique to you. In order to help you make the most informed decision possible, we have created this post to help you figure out the right time to clean your gutters. Let’s take a look!

Where you’re located. What we get is four season in a year as well as as a good amount of rain. As a result, you may want to put into consideration cleaning your gutter at least twice a year - clean the gutters once in the spring and once in the fall. It’s important to make gutter cleaning a part of your normal spring schedule as well as part of your fall maintenance routines.

What surrounds your home. If you happen to have tree surrounding your home, then it’s more likely that dead leaves clog up your gutter pretty quickly. A single tree is enough as it’s going to shed leaves that will find their way into your gutter, accumulate and affect its performance and integrity.

What your gutter currently looks like. If you gutters already have an entire ecosystem of animal life and plants hamging over the edges, then the best time to clean the gutters is now rather than having to wait a particular season to act. A dirty gutter should be attended to immediately in order to prevent some unnecessary damages as well as expensive repairs.

A roof is one of the most significant portions of any property and they’re also the single part of a structure most vulnerable to impairment from the elements. If your roof suffers substantial damage over time, maintenances and re-roofing charges can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful which is why it is imperative to keep your roof in sound structural and aesthetic order.

If a tile has fallen off from the top of your roof – you can expect to pay around £70-£100 to replace it including a different tile fitted in its place. Replacing a hip roof will cost between £4,250 and £7,250, the cost varies if you have a single valley or a double valley on your roof. For a new gable roof, you should expect to pay around £3,250 to £5,250.

What does it cost to replace my roof?

The charge of substituting your roof for a new one will be subject to the age and condition that it’s in, but usually, the cost of a new roof on an average property is around £5,500.

Some of the key factors to keep in mind when calculating the cost of re-roofing your house include:

• size of your roof

• type and size of the materials used

• shape and style of the roof

• If structural changes are required or not

• the roofing company hired

Tiled roof repair costs

If you are trying to prevent water from leaking inside your house for one or two tiles, then you can expect to pay between £100 to £200 to fix them and seal the leaks.

Flat roof repair costs

Minor jobs such as repairing flat roofs as well as sheds and garages or mending blisters can usually cost around £300.

Roofing job Price range

Replacing six ridge tiles £135-£260

Replacing six broken or missing tiles £55-£105

Cleanout of your gutter £35-£80

Replacing one right tile on rooftop £70-£100

The cost of a full re-roofing job can amount to around £3,250 to £7,250 depending on the size of your property.

Hip roof Cost range Length of time

Semi-detached home £4,250-£4,750 3-4 days

Detached home £5,250-£5,750 4-5 days

2 valleys – semi-detached home £5,750-£6,250 5-6 days

2-valleys detached home £6,750-£7,250 6-7 days

Gable roof Cost range Length of time

Standard £3,250-£3,750 2-3 days

2-valley £4,750-£5,250 4-5 days

While it sounds like it could be difficult to plasterboard around a Velux window, it needn’t be. As long as you have the right tools and materials, you should be able to plasterboard around your roof window easily and make good ready to be skimmed. When you or a tradesperson has fitted your Velux window into your roof, you’ll probably need to plasterboard over it to create a good ceiling. To do this, you’ll need:

• Plasterboard sheets – make sure you measure your room so you know how much you’ll need
• Screws to secure the board in place
• Drill
• Hammer
• Straight edge and pen knife to score the board before trimming
• Fine toothed saw the cut the plasterboard

When you’re ready to plasterboard around your roof window, make sure you’ve cleared enough space to work in. Then you can begin by cutting your plasterboard to size using your straight edge and pen knife to score, then your saw to get a clean cut. A common way of plasterboarding around your Velux window is to use the groove on the window frame to hold one edge of the board, then screw the other edge to the battens on the ceiling. People often use drywall screws these days as they have a better grip of the plasterboard as they drive through. You’ll need to use a drill to screw these in. However, you could use plasterboard nails, which are galvanised to stop rusting. When you’ve done this, you can then skim the walls or ask a plasterer to do it for you. Plastering, while it looks easy, is a tricky skill so it’s always best to ask a professional to do it.

As long as you can access them safely, it’s fairly easy to clean soffits and fascias. Using a sponge and warm water to scrub them is a good way to get off most types of dirt. You might want to add detergent or bleach to the water to make it more effective.

Once you’ve scrubbed your soffits and fascias, rinse them with clean water to make sure you’ve got all of the dirt and detergent off.

Velux windows, or roof windows, are very easy to clean. Regular cleaning helps to keep them looking bright and shiny for years to come. So how should you clean Velux windows?

If you want to clean the air filter, you can remove it and wash it with your normal household cleaners. Velux windows have a cleaning position, so rotate and secure it into this position then remove the filter. You should be able to buy new filters from the manufacturer of your roof window.

To clean the outer pane, there’s no need to lean out of the window and risk falling out. Simply rotate the sash (the opening part) 180 degrees and secure it into position. Then you can clean the pane with a soft, lint-free cloth, sponge or squeegee and clean water. If you live in a hard water area, add some detergent to the water and wipe the window dry when you’re finished. You can also use normal non-abrasive household cleaners.

It’s recommended that you clean the flashing around your roof window at least once a year. You can use a brush to do this. This will allow rainwater to flow freely and stop any leaves from collecting.

If you’re in any doubt about using certain cleaners on your Velux windows, get in touch with the manufacturer who should be able to help. You can also do a patch test on an inconspicuous area if you’re unsure.