Find a Roofer you can trust in Stirlingshire.

How To Clean Algae Off Roof Shingles

Stains and dirt on asphalt shingles can only make your entire house look shabby which can go a long way to hide away the true value of your building. In some cases, dirts and stains on asphalt roofing shingles are nothing more than a cosmetic issue. However, there are also times in which it goes far beyond this - when the stains are indicators of a problem that if ignored, can result in a serious roof damage and ultimately, roof failure. In most cases, it’s usually hard to distinguish these stains and hence, the more reason why your asphalt roofing shingles should be regularly cleaned and maintained. In this article, we’re going to look at how you can get rid of algae of your roof shingles.

Algae growth on roof usually have either blue, green or black stains. They normally begin with little spots which will develop into streaks overtime. These stains are mostly mistaken for moss or mildew and aren’t harmful to any other thing than the roof shingles. However, the look it gives the entire house is something nobody enjoys.

It should be noted that this is a task that deals with working at height and requires skills and confidence to pull off. If you lack any of these qualities, simply reach out to a professional for help.

✓ Safety first. Put on protective clothing.

✓ Apply a bleach solution with a garden sprayer and let it sit for up to 20 minutes

✓ Rinse the roof thereafter with the stream from the hose (do not use a pressure washer as it can damage the roof shingles)

✓ If there are still algae left after rinsing with water, you can make use of a brush with medium-stiff bristles to gently scrub the stains off. If some stains are still left, simply let the roof dry before repeating the process again.

How Often Do Flat Roofs Need Replacing?

When a flat roof needs to be replaced is determined by a number of factors which includes the roof’s exposure to the weather, the condition and age of the roofing materials as well as the construction of the roof. However, with proper maintenance and regular inspection, they should be used for nothing less than 50 years. There are some commonly used types of flat roofs which includes Felt flat roof as well as a GRP flat roof.

Felt Flat Roof

The lifespan of a felt flat roof also varies depending on the quality and grade of the felt roof incorporated. This can make the roof last within the range of 2 to 20 years. More often than not, felt flat roofs are usually installed in such a way to keep the costs down which implies the grades of felts that are mostly used are the economical ones implying a very short lifespan.

In the event whereby a premium grade of felt is incorporated in constructing a roof by professional contractors, will be guaranteed by the manufacturer to last between 10 to 20 years.

One of the major causes of a short lifespan in felts is leaks which should be regularly inspected and repaired once identified. If not, the roof will gradually deteriorate and become a lot weaker due to the action of the sun. However, when a felt roof starts to leak, it’s usually a sign that’s approaching the end of its lifespan and a replacement should be taken into account.

GRP Flat Roof

The GRP flat roof or fibreglass flat roof usually comes with a manufacturer’s guarantee of 20 years and is expected to have a lifespan of a minimum of an additional 10 years.

Unlike felt roofs, they’re more resistant to leaks. However, they should also be regularly inspected for leaks which are caused mostly as a result of installation error rather than the GRP roofing approaching the end of its useful life. If the GRP roof repair does not totally resolve the leak, you should start considering a replacement.

How To Clean Roof Lights

If you have existing roof lights or perhaps you’re about to have them installed, it’s important to know just how to have them cleaned, even if you wouldn’t be doing it yourself. Generally, glass roof lights fitted in flat roof applications are more likely to be a major victim of staining and discolouration by several elements like rainwater, bird droppings, vehicle exhaust pollutants as well as tree sap. Therefore, just like any other parts of your home, periodic inspection of the units as well as regular cleaning is highly advised to help maintain their top performance for a lengthy period of time.

Firstly, when installing the roof lights, it’ll be helpful if its fitted at the right pitch so as to help keep the exterior clean as it enables the elements such as rainwater to run off the surface naturally. Cleaning roof lights involves working at height which can be very dangerous. Therefore, if you lack the skill and confidence to pull this off, it’s advisable to hire the services of a professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this article, we aim to give you a good insight into how the roof light cleaning process works. Let’s have a look!

Rooflight Interior Cleaning

✓ Spread plastic under the roof light to catch dirt and spills

✓ Dust to wipe clear all loose dirt and cobwebs.

✓ Use a squeegee with a warm soapy water or any other glass cleaning product to clean the glass ( steer clear of any harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners)

✓ Dry the roof light with a soft and lint-free cloth.

Rooflight Exterior Cleaning

✓ Access the roof safely with a specialist ladder

✓ Put mild detergent into a bucket and carry up to the roof before filling with warm water from a hosepipe

✓ Use the soapy water and a non-abrasive cloth or squeegee to clean the roof light, its surroundings as well as fixings.

How To Replace A Flat Roof

Is it high time you replaced your flat roof with a new one? If it’s time, then you probably shouldn’t waste another minute! Flat roofs come with multiple upsides and happens to be a lot more affordable than many other options (especially for starters). Not only do they add to your home’s curb appeal and requires a relatively low labour costs as there are minimal risks involved, but they’re also more accessible for maintenance purposes and aren’t as exposed to damage as a pitched roof. However, we’re not here to discuss the various benefits of installing a flat roof, but rather tell you how to install one. If you lack proper training and experience, we’d recommend you hire a trustworthy professional that can guarantee the best results.

• Wipe the entire roof system clean.

• Detach and replace rotted roof sheathings.

• Detach and replace rotted fascia

• Hire a qualified air conditioning professional to disconnect the existing AC units.

• Introduce new aluminium air conditioning stands and secure against the deck.

• Let you qualified air conditioning professional reconnect the existing AC units.

• Put in place the new air conditioning quick disconnects.

• Attach EPS fanfold insulation in such a way to cover the surface of the entire roof and secure it firmly in place.

• Attach the tie-in roof materials where necessary.

• Attach roofing membrane to cover the entire area of the roofing.

• Attach membrane to the entire roof’s perimeter.

• Attach new perimeter flashings (fascia bar, fascia cap and drip edge), secured on the centre at 6. Make use of a good sealant to secure the fascia bar or fascia cap’s top flange.

• Attach boots on plumbing seal and stacks.

• Identify the existing vent stacks and seal, and put curbs

• Put safety walk pad network from the access point of the roof to the air conditioning units.

• Attach rooftop signs for roof traffic personnel

• Tidy up and clear out the debris

How to repair a flat roof depends on the type of flat roof you have. We’ll talk about how to repair felt, asphalt, fibreglass and EDPM flat roofs yourself. But ultimately if you want the best finish, it’s best to ask a professional to repair your flat roof for you. Repairing a flat roof Whether you’ve got an old pour-and-roll type felt roof or a newer torch-on felt flat roof, you can get cracks, lifting around joints, leaks or dips. As a temporary measure, you can buy a special paint that you paint over cracks. For a more permanent repair, you can add a patch of torched-on felt or add a layer on top. Asphalt flat roof repair As your asphalt flat roof gets older, you may notice blisters, cracks or shrinkage and sagging around flashings. Again, you can use a paint on fix from a tin as a temporary repair, or add heat-applied flashing tape around flashing. For a more permanent fix you can use a liquid system, but many are only available to the trade market. You can also add a patch of torched-on roofing felt over a crack. How to repair a fibreglass (GRP) flat roof Fibreglass flat roofs are usually excellent, but problems can involve leaking flashing and cracks near upstands, trims or board joints. You can add acrylic sealant to cracks or holes for a good DIY repair, but a flashing problem is more difficult to fix. You’ll need to clean and sand the affected area of flashing, then laminate a 600g chopped strand mat into place, cure it and add a topcoat colour to match the roof. That sounds like a job better left to a specialist. EDPM rubber flat roof repair Rubber roofs often suffer from shrinkage when mechanical fixings haven’t been used near upstands, flashing leaks or holes or cuts. If you’ve got a small tear that you want to repair, you can add some lap sealant to the area – but use it sparingly. For a more permanent repair to flashing, buy some self-adhesive flashing that will mould into shape easily. Clean the area you want to repair, add EDPM primer, then stick the patch of flashing on from the centre outwards with a hard roller. You can add lap sealant around the edges if you want more protection from water.

What Is The Average Cost To Replace A Flat Roof?

Are you interested in knowing how much it costs to replace a flat roof? Here, you’ll discover a price breakdown for replacing flat roof. This includes a number of price determining factors such as materials costs as well as cost of labour and cost per square metre. All these enables you to make easy calculations so that you can determine a flat roof replacement estimate for your own project.

The type of flat roof that is the most common type is the garage roof and for the replacement of a single garage roof, the cost will fall between the range of £700 to £1000. Meanwhile for a double garage, you should expect a price increase of about 40 percent to 50 percent. The main price determinant that’s affecting the price of a new flat roof is the material incorporated in making it. For instance, lead or fibreglass are much more expensive when compared to felt roofs.

Generally, the cost of a flat roof replacement will fall within the range of £700 to £1300 varying largely due to the type of materials to be used by the roofer, the roof’s size as well as whether or not scaffolding would be used. Multiple flat roof applications also comes with different costs which includes:

• Felt roof ( £40 to £60 per square metre).

• Fibreglass roof ( £70to £90 per square metre ).

• Rubber roof ( £80 to £85 per square metre ).

• Lead bay roof ( £90 to £105 per square metre ).

• Fibreglass bay roof ( £40 to £60 per square metre ).

Several professional roofers work in pairs and to hire them you’re likely to be charged between £200 to £300 per day. The project can be completed with just a day’s work, but the installer should be back to make sure there are no leaks.

How much a flat roof costs to repair depends on a few factors. Is your flat roof on a garage or an extension? What is the flat roof made from? It’s always best to get a few quotes to compare prices, but we’ll give you a rough idea here. If your flat roof was installed in the 1990s or earlier, it’s likely that you’ll see some leaks or damage soon. Felt flat roofs used to be installed completely flat, which meant that water couldn’t run off. That means that water pools and can create moss and damp. Sun exposure can also damage the felt, causing damage and eventually holes that lead to leaks. If you’re lucky enough to have got away with just needing a flat roof repair, this should set you back an average of £100 per square metre. If your roof is sagging due to the weight of it putting pressure on the timber frame, you might need additional joists – which could cost anywhere between £1,000 and £2,000, depending on how many you need. But if the problem is due to the internal part of the roof system becoming waterlogged, you could be looking at over £5,000. If your roof is severely leaking or the timber joists are rotting, it might be more cost effective to replace your flat roof. If you keep forking out for repairs, it will eventually be cheaper just to replace the whole thing, which could cost around £2,000.

How Much Does Roof Repair Cost?

With the typical British weather, the roof is always subjected to enough battering every single day. With that type of events, you’d expect to find some chimney pots on the floor or roof tiles to go missing every once in a while. When these minor roof issues occur, a professional roofer is always in hand to easily resolve these problems. However, there are times in which the roof will be in a terrible condition with persistent leaks which is beyond the capacity of a roofer to resolve. In such cases, you may have to consider having the roof replaced as the best choice.

If you’re currently facing some issues with your roof and you need it repaired, then you’d probably want to know just how much it’ll cost to complete the project. In the UK, a roof repair cost can be within the range of £100 to £12,000 based on a number of influencing factors such as where the property is located as well as the size of the property. For instance, if you happen to stay in London where the demand is higher and there’s also the high cost of living, roof repair costs tend to be a bit more costly.

Let’s look at a simple breakdown of some roof repair jobs. These includes the following:

✓ Cost of renovating the roof on a detached four bedroom house using slate ( two story house) will range between £6300 to £12000.

✓ Cost of renovating the roof on a two story semi detached house using slate will range between £5000 to £7400.

✓ Cost of renovating full roof on a two bedroom bungalow using slate will range between £4000 to £5900.