Find a Roofer you can trust in Kilmacolm.

The roof is a particularly important part of the home, providing weather and water protection. Therefore, it’s important to regularly check your guttering system and clean out any debris that could cause blockages.Advice given is to consider having a mesh gutter guard to prevent the build-up of leaves and other debris, especially if you want to harvest rainwater.

Velux windows actually refer to one brand of roof window, which are windows that sit in your roof space and allow light and ventilation into your loft. But how do you install a Velux window? If you’re a competent DIYer, it’s not as difficult as you might think.

You can normally install roof windows entirely from the inside, so you don’t need to get up on your roof or hire costly scaffolding. They come with detailed installation instructions, so as long as you follow them you shouldn’t have much trouble.

Before you start, you’ll need to read up on the Building Regulations and Planning Permission laws. Speak to your local Building Control department if you have any questions.

Firstly, prepare the opening by removing enough tiles or slates from the roof. There’s no need to go out on the roof – access them by cutting away the felt underneath which will give you access to the tiles and battens. Cut away one of the battens from under a tile, then you can slide all the tiles into the roof space. You’ll need to cut away the roof timbers to make the right size opening, then add more timbers to strengthen the ones that are left.

Next, remove the opening sash from the new roof window then fit the frame into the new opening using the brackets provided with the window. Then fit roof flashing between the new window and the roof so you don’t get any leaks. Then lay your tiles back in position around the new Velux window; you’ll probably have to cut some to shape which you can do with an angle grinder. Always cut them on the ground, not in position on the roof.

Lastly, fit the sash back onto the window and you’re done!

If this sounds like too much hard work, plenty of window installers will be able to help you fit a Velux window and will probably be able to provide a much cleaner finish.

It depends on the material you use, but if your flat roof is installed correctly it should last for at least 10 years, and at least 20 if a material other than felt is used. Always question a roofing company when they quote to find out what materials they use and what guarantee's they offer.

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.

The task of installing a tile roof can be quite a difficult one. Such a project takes a great deal of preparation, well before the actual tile installation is done. It does not matter if you are putting new ones or replacing your old tiles, understanding the proper technique and steps become crucial.

Remove old roofing (if applicable).

This is, on its own, a major job that can take days and require special tools. It takes some time, but be prepared to do it right.

Install battens (if applicable).

Battens may be needed to hold the tiles in place if the roof is having a steep slope. Usually made of metal or wood, battens are generally 1 inch thick and run horizontally along the roof.

You can find several varieties of tiles that has a hook or a lip allowing it to hang on the available battens. Apart from this, you can find several clips in the market which help to attach the tiles on to the batten.

Determining the spacing for battens can be done easily using two tiles. To prevent interlocking, a three inch overlap is required at the minimum, and a smaller amount of overhang should be left over the eaves. Keep this in mind when you determine the locations of the battens.

After you have determined the distance between the first two battens, measure the distance and set battens using that spacing up, making sure to double-check measurements as you go along.

• Install the tiles.

• You will need to begin with one side first, and then continue to move along the length of the roof.

• Cut tiles to fit tight spots.

• Tiles have to be cut precisely to overcome any obstacle like the chimney.

• Install the ridge tiles.

After completing the broad surfaces of the roof, special ridge tiles are required to cap the top.

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.

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.

Whether you’re liable for a leaking roof in a commercial property will depend on your ownership status and any contracts. Of course, if you own a standalone commercial property, it would make it your responsibility to repair to leaking roof. But if you own an office within a building, you should check your paperwork to see whether you are responsible for some or all of a leaking roof.

If you’re a tenant in a commercial property, things get a bit more complicated. Lots of commercial leases are FRI, or Full Repairing and Insuring leases, which means that the tenant is responsible for all external and internal maintenance and insuring the building. It means that it’s vital that you read through your tenancy agreement in full before signing it and seek legal advice if you think you need it. If your lease is an FRI lease, you are liable for a leaking roof in your commercial property.

It’s important to ensure that you have a schedule of condition for the property, which will mean that you only have to restore the commercial property back to the condition that it was in when you took over. It’s also worth getting the roof inspected before you sign the lease, as if there is any damage before you sign the landlord may be responsible.

The best way to avoid having to pay for a leaking roof in a commercial property is prevention. If you are liable for repairs and maintenance, make sure you have the roof inspected regularly by a reputable company to avoid having to pay for costly repairs when disaster strikes.