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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 Much Are Roof Tiles?

The way your roof looks speak volumes about your home or property. When you have an attractive roof installed, you give a huge impression of how beautiful the interior of your house is.

Roof tiles are the prefect roofing material if you wish to have your house looking elegant and decent. However, what turns off most homeowners about roof tiles is the belief that the prices are not budget friendly. This is absolutely false and in this article, we’re going to give you a rough estimate of the cost of roof tiles.

The price of roof tiles includes the cost of removing and getting rid of the old roofing materials, the cost of purchasing new roof tiles in the market as well as the cost of installing them on your house. There are a plethora of factors that affects the cost of roof tiles. These factors include the height and size of the roof, the roof’s design, the roof’s pitch, incidental costs of labour, the company hired as well as your location. What’s more? A roof with a complicated design such as hips and valleys will also generally cost more than simpler ones. Also, if you happen to reside in a place like London with higher cost of living and greater demand, the cost is also likely to be higher than other regions. As a result, providing an accurate cost of roof tiles is simply not possible.

Generally, the cost of having an entire roof retiled will cost within the range of £10,000 to about £20,000. For a more accurate estimate, you’ll have to identify reputable roofing professionals within your local area and find the roof tile prices that perfectly suits your budget.

You should inspect your roof at least once a year, to check there are no leaks or infestations. It’s best to do this just after it has rained, so leaks are as obvious as possible. You may find over a period of time there is a build up of moss on the roof, this should be cleaned so rain water has a clear path to the guttering.

One of the most popular choices for roofing materials are roof slates. There is a number of advantages that a roof slate has, hey can be aesthetically pleasing, they can also increase the potential selling value of the house and many more. Slate is a sturdy and resilient material that delivers waterproofing physical characteristics to a pitched roof. Unlike other roof materials which absorb water slates do not. Therefore, slate is the most resistant towards freezing and water damage.

Find out the pitch of your roof

Before beginning with the fitting procedure, you need to figure out the pitch of your roof. The roof pitch commands how much overlap is essential with each slate. This has been made a lot easier than the early days with the advancement of technology.

Find out the required overlap

Once you’ve found out the exact pitch of your roof accurately, take a look at the slate producer’s description. Each manufacturer will propose the obligatory overlap in order to form a firm and safe slate roof.

Roll out the roof membrane

Firstly, guarantee your joists or trusses are clean of any sheards or old nails that could harm the membrane. You will now have to roll the chosen roofing membrane along the roof trusses. It is always wise to start from one of the bottom corners and keep rolling it along to the other corner.

Secure the roof membrane

Once the membrane has been moved out, use thump nails to protect one edge. You will now have to pull the membrane taut and carefully fix it into position. Do this before adding any nails across the membrane at points of intersection with the trusses for extra stability.

Batten placement

This is done to find the proper assignment of the battens. For this, you will need two full-sized slates along with an under eaves slate. Carefully position the battens on the top of the roof on the top of the overlay. Make sure not to fix them down since it will be easier to move them around and make any adjustments.

How To Replace Flat Roof Felt

Also referred to as tar paper, roofing felt is installed underneath the roof’s shingles to help deny water access to your home. Installing the roofing felt in overlapping layers builds a water barrier in situations whereby the weather damages or blows away the shingles. Although the application of a roofing felt on a flat roof is relatively easier and safer than working on a peaked roof, it’s advisable to take enough care and precautions. If you lack proper training and experience for this task, we’d recommend you employ a reliable professional to guarantee the best results and save you from further headaches especially in cases whereby unfortunate errors are made. This step by step guide will give you a good insight into the flat roof felt replacement process.

• Take a measurement of the width and length of the roof.

• Calculate the square footage by multiplying the numbers.

• Multiply the square footage gotten by three (it’s advisable to install three layers of roofing felt to create a really strong weather barrier).

• Use a claw hammer to remove the existing roofing felt.

• Use utility knife to cut the new felt to fit the length of the roof.

• Place the first piece along the roof’s edge and use a hammer tacker to tack the felt in place with staples or galvanized nails and hammer.

• Put the staples or nails at every 6 inches along the side touching the roof’s edge as well as down the short sides.

• Repeat the same process for the second piece, laying it out beside the first row of felt.

• Cut a piece of felt to the appropriate length using a utility knife to begin the second layer of roofing felt, and cutting it in half, lengthwise.

• Apply construction adhesive along the first row using a trowel.

• Press the first piece for the second layer onto the adhesive. Repeat this process until the roof is covered with a second layer

• Apply construction adhesive over the second layer to install the third layer. Begin with a full piece of felt without cutting it in half.

• Overlap each piece by 2 inches until you’ve completely installed the third layer.

Roof tiles should be replaced as soon as possible to ensure that your roof stays waterproof. Use crawl boards when replacing them to avoid damaging other tiles, if not ask a qualified roofer to carry out the work, particularly if the tiles are higher up.

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.

A pitched roof is a type of roof that is defined to have a sloping surface that has an angle that is greater than 20 degrees. Pitched roofs offer a more classical appearance. They remain the most communal and effective answer in wet and cold weathers to guarantee all-out protection.

Eaves

In the roof, the lower part of the inclined roof which is prominent outside the external face of the wall. The chief purpose of eaves is to pour the rainwater from the roof straight on the exterior wall. It also provides protection from sunlight. Eaves are sometimes decorated to an architectural beauty.

Gable

The Three-sided higher part of the wall at the end of a ridge roof.

Flashing

A band of impermeable material, typically metal, used to eliminate water from the intersection between a roof covering and another part of the structure. Flashings are provided to stop moisture from inflowing the wall and roof through joints in copings, parapet wall, and other infiltrations through the roof plane.

Hip

The Hip is defined as the exterior angle, which is generally greater than 180 degrees, which is formed at the inclined ridge of the roof slopes.

Ridge

The ridge is defined as the horizontal intersection made by the rising roof surfaces that are inclined in opposite directions.

Purlins

Purlins are the horizontal members which are laid on the principal rafters which help to support the common rafter of a roof. This is usually done when the span is large. Purlins are made from wood or steel. The top surfaces of the purlins intend to be unvarying and plane.

Fascia

This is the wooden board that is fixed to the feet of the common rafter at eaves. The Fascia helps the lowest ends of the roof covering material to rest on it.

Rafter

One of the major structural components of a pitched roof is a rafter. The rafter generally begins for the support of the roof to the ridge or hip. The purlin is supported by equally spaced rafters used side by side.