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How To Clean A Roof?

If you’re planning to clean your roof, but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place! There are different types of roofs available in the market today and the method used in cleaning one can be largely different from the other. As a result, we’re only going to look at one of the common types of roofs you’ll find in the UK - the Asphalt shingle roof tiles. This roof type is very common and for a good reason. Not only are they visually appealing but they’re also hugely versatile by design which enables them to be adaptable to varying shapes, angles as well as forms depending on your preference or needs. With all the benefits that can be derived from asphalt shingle, they however, need to be properly maintained to help retain their good looks.

To clean your asphalt shingles, you’ll most likely require some type of chemicals especially when dealing with algae stains and some other visual problems. Therefore, make sure you purchase a product marked safe to be used on this type of roof and not those only proven to remove moss and algae stains. Mix the chemical cleaner with a gallon of water and a quart of bleach or as instructed by the manufacturer. Pour the mixture inside a pump-style garden sprayer and mix thoroughly. When done, climb up on the roof and spray as good as you can. Upon completion of spraying the roof with the mixture, then allow to work its magic for some time - about 15 minutes or thereabout should be good.

After that, you can make use of a garden hose to spray down the roof and wash down the mixture entirely. If some stains remain, use a brush to gently wipe the tiles individually.

How Much To Replace A Flat Roof

There’s no straight answer to this question. However, the average cost lies within the range of £1000 to £5000. This range may look too wide but the price is greatly influenced by a number of factors which is capable of making the price increase or decrease. Some of the factors affecting the cost of flat roof coverings and replacement include: the type of flat roofing system and materials you want, the area size of the flat roof in M2, the project’s location, the roofing company to be used, the ease at which to reach the roof, cost of removing the old flat roof as well as cost of removing the other waste.

Although there are many factors to be put into consideration but the most crucial factor is the size of the house or the area size of the flat roof in M2. for instance, a one bedroom apartment’s flat roof will have a price between £1500 to £3000. This is, however, with the assumption that the flat roof is going to be used as the main roof of the house. But if you’re only using it for a section of the house like your garage, the price could range between £700 to £1000

There four commonly used types of flat roof materials which includes fibreglass, felt, rubber and lead. If you need a felt roof, for example, the price is between £40 to £70 per m2. And in the same tone, a metal roof will generally cost more than a a flat roof made from rubber.

Another important factor we’ll discuss is the labour or the roofing company to be used. Different roofing companies will charge different prices. As a result, you should carefully compare the prices of the companies in order to get a great deal.

The feasibility of this will depend on the roof’s strength, in particular its load bearing capabilities. This is simply because tiles are heavier than the metal sheeting. Normally a tiled roof will need to take a load capacity of 60kg per square metre. You will need a trusted roofing company to advise on this.

Gutters are a crucial component of any roofing system. They’re designed in such a way to protect your home or property from serious water damage, but keeping them clean and in good condition is something that’s almost always forgotten or ignored. Do not be deceived even when rain water is still running from them or they don’t appear to be clogged. Failure to clean maintain your gutters can lead to a wide range of outcomes and they aren’t so pretty. According to experts, gutter cleaning should be done twice a year - once in the spring and once in the fall. In order to help you realize the importance of cleaning your gutters, we’ll look at some of the possible outcomes of a neglected gutter.

• Leaky roof. If your gutters get clogged and cannot move water away from your home, it begins to build up on the roof and eventually lead to damages like rot and mold. As the damages spread, the end result could be a severe damage to the attic and supports.
• Damaged foundation. If the gutters are not functioning as they should, water saturation becomes a great threat to the foundation of your home or property. The concrete will crack or wood rots and you can also end up with mold.
• Creepy crawler infestation. Wherever you have stagnant water, there are also bugs. This is because they love the wet and moisture-filled gutters. You get unwanted visitors like carpenter ants, roaches and mosquitoes, just to mention a few.
• Driveway and path damage. When the downspouts aren’t directing the water to the appropriate spot, the excess that comes in contact with these surfaces can lead to cracks or sagging.

Yes, it’s a dirty job, but every homeowner out there has got to do it! Your gutter needs to be free of dead leaves, birds’ nest and other debris as well as being through clean in order to perform its functions effectively. It’s just a part of the responsibilities that comes with owning a home. Dry leaves, tree branches and other materials build up in your gutters overtime especially during the dry summer and you won’t notice until the point where your gutters start overflowing during the first main rain of the season.

In the event whereby your dirty and clogged gutter is left unattended to, this can lead to several issues like a leaky gutter and mold, leaky roof and basements,cracked foundation, driveway and yard damage and several more which will definitely make you incur more unnecessary expenses. So the question is, how often should the gutters be cleaned? The answer is, it depends. According to several experts, gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year - which is once in the late spring and once in the late summer or early fall. However, there are a couple of factors that may make you have a rethink.

If you happen to have a pine tree growing above your house, it’ll be wise to consider inspecting your gutters every 3 months. This is because pine trees shed needles year-round and they usually have a lot of these needles to shed. In the situation whereby you’re located at a higher elevation, ice is will most likely be your greatest source of concern. Making sure that your gutters remain clean throughout the winter can be quite a headache, but damage to your roof cause by ice can be an even greater pain. Prevention is always better than cure.

There are a few reasons why commercial buildings often have flat roofs. Lots of people argue that flat roofs aren’t as attractive as pitched roofs, which is why it’s uncommon to see a residential property with an entirely flat roof. Lots of commercial buildings don’t need to look attractive, so go for flat roofs because they’re cheaper.

Flat roofs tend to be less expensive than pitched roofs, especially for large, broad commercial buildings. Some commercial buildings simply couldn’t have a pitched roof because their width would mean that the roof would have to be extremely high. Flat roofs are also cost-effective for commercial buildings because it means that air conditioning and ventilation units can go on the roof, saving space in and around the building.

Commercial buildings also often have flat roofs because they don’t need the loft space that residential properties need. If there’s no need for the space, it doesn’t make sense to spend more money on a pitched roof just to keep the attic space empty. Flat roofs also give the commercial building owner the opportunity to use the space as a smoking area for employees or give access to fire escapes to upper floors.

If you’re having a commercial property build, make sure you speak to the experts about the type of roof that is suitable for you. If you’re planning on having air conditioning or ventilation systems installed within the property, you might be best off with a flat roof – but if you need some extra storage space, a pitched roof might work best for you.

Do You Need Felt Under Roof Tiles?

Before now, roofing felt were mainly incorporated to serve as a temporary waterproof roof on a building which would later on be changed for the permanent solid tiles or slate roof. This is due to the fact that rebuilding a roof can be time consuming taking a few number of days, the roofing felt would be used to protect the structure as well as the property it contains by acting as a barrier between the house and the harsh elements such as rain, wind, snow, sleet and more, while also providing minimal insulation until the structure is complete.

However those are in the olden days, in recent times, roofing felt ( also referred to as breathable roofing membrane or breathable felt) is now being used to create a safe and waterproof roof which is long lasting and will protect your house, properties as well as other outbuildings for a long period of time while also complying with the Building Regulations. So to answer the question - yes, you’re going to need felt under roof tiles as it has been made mandatory by building regulations.

Now let’s take a look at the different functions served by felt.

✓ You’ll need felt under roof tiles to prevent the roof space from being exposed.

✓ Roofing felt protects homes where a roof has not yet been installed to serve as a temporary protective layer against the elements.

✓ Roofing felt is particularly crucial for modern homes which are constructed to be more energy efficient and work to hold warm air from escaping the house. This is great to reduce your heating bills while also keeping both you and your loved ones cosy all throughout the year.

✓ Overall, building regulations imply that an underlay underneath the slate or tiles is now a compulsory requirement.

It can be easy to repair a felt flat roof depending on the problem. If you’ve got an old-style pour-and-roll felt flat roof, you might be starting to run into problems, but even if you have a newer torch-on felt roof, issues can occur. You might find cracks, lifting, leaking flashings or dips and hollows in the felt. Luckily, there are some easy fixes – but the best thing to do to prolong the life of your felt flat roof is to get a professional to look at it.

If your felt flat roof only needs a small repair, you might be able to get away with using a paint-on fix from a tin that you just brush on. However, if you want a more permanent fix, you’ll need a few more tools and supplies.

You can use a patch of torched-on roofing felt over the crack or leak, but if your flat roof is very damaged or wet it might not take it. You can also buy liquid systems for felt roofs, but again, there is a possibility that your roof might not take it. Also most of the high-quality liquid systems are only available for trade customers, so you might be better off asking a roofing pro to do it for you.