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How To Clean Concrete Roof Tiles

Dirt, moss and algae usually sees concrete roof tiles as the perfect place to reside. They can damage the structural bonds of your roof, they can lead to overheating of the attic and roof space as well as blocked gutters. In order to protect the structural integrity of your roof and ensure your home and properties are well protected against the elements, it’s therefore crucial to clean your roof regularly. There are plethora of ways to go about this but which method will best suit your concrete roof tile?

When it comes to working at heights, skill and confidence is paramount even if the actually cleaning and maintenance happens to be an easy task. As a result, if you lack the two attributes mentioned, we’d strongly recommend that you call in a professional roof cleaning contractor who can guarantee the best results for help. In this article, we aim to give you a good insight into the concrete roof tiles cleaning process. Let’s have a look!

✓ Use a trowel or stiff brush

This is a manual method which involves scraping off the algae, moss and dirt by hand using an effective tool like a trowel. However, before you do this make sure its a very dry day. Also, you can make use of a stiff brush to scrape off the dirt. Both cleaning tools are very easy and effective means to clean concrete roof tiles.

✓ Use chemicals

You can apply fungicide, moss killers and anti moss treatments with the help of a spray to kill any plant life on your concrete roof tiles. However, you should only do this after you’ve successfully scraped the surface with a trowel or a stiff brush.

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 To Replace Flat Roof Fascia

Whatever makes you decide to install your flat roof fascia by yourself and not a professional company, then you must have a clear idea of what to do and do it appropriately. If you lack proper training and experience, we’d recommend you employ a reliable professional to help with the task for the best results and save you some time and money. This step-by-step guide will give a clear insight on how to go about the replacement of your flat roof fascia.

The tools to be incorporated includes the fascia boards, table saw, plane, crimper, clamps, power nailer, compound saw and chalkline.

• Prepare and get all the necessary tools to complete the task before commencing as this would save you time from stopping and going back and forth looking for the next tool needed,

• Install the sheathing and board.

• Fix white fascias with at least 600mm centres ( a foiled fascia needs just 40mm centre) using a marine grade stainless steel plastic headed nails.

• Make a space of up to 10mm between the joints for possible building expansion, using super glue to secure the joints to just a side of the fascia.

• Place this directly on the fascia board’s top (if you’ll be installing ventilation) to create an air pathway.

• Take note that the type of roof to be installed will determine how you’ll have to install the fascia board. For instance, a hip roof permits you to attach the fascia board onto the roof in a quick fashion, whereas a gabled roof may need you to make markings on the board to achieve the right fit.

• Consider the depth of the fascia board as it also play a huge role in the installation of the fascia board. For instance, there’ll be additional weights on tiled roofs that will push up against the board. Therefore, if you do not get the appropriate amount of depth, it could eventually collapse.

Ponding is where you see pools of water appearing on your flat roof. Unless your roof is leaking or showing other signs of damage, you don’t need to replace it. When you do have your flat roof replaced, tell the contractor so they can find out the cause of the ponding.

How you install commercial rubber roofing is similar to fitting it on a residential property, except that the area that’s covered is likely to be bigger. With commercial properties, you should always leave any maintenance and repair works to the professionals – whether you own or lease the property, you could invalidate any insurance if you try to install rubber roofing yourself. We’ll outline the steps roofers will take when installing rubber roofing on a commercial property.

Firstly, the installers will remove any existing coverings and clean and dry the surface thoroughly. This is vital in ensuring that the rubber will stick. They will then unwrap the EDPM rubber membrane and leave it to rest until it’s fully expanded. On a warm day this may take around half an hour.

Next, the roofers will work with half a sheet of rubber at a time and adhere it to the roof surface. They may use a water-based adhesive which they will spread onto the roof in sections, then roll the membrane onto the surface before moving onto the next section. If they’re using a bonded adhesive, they will apply it to both the roof and the rubber and leave it to dry until it’s tacky before extending the membrane.

Once the EDPM rubber is rolled out, the installers will brush the surface with a large broom to get rid of bubbles and provide a stronger bond. Then they will work of the edges, applying adhesive to roof and walls edges, sealing corners and creating watertight seals. They’ll also tidy up any excess membrane and seal all the trims.

As long as it’s installed correctly, your commercial rubber roofing should last you decades without any repairs needed. It’s always best to inspect your roof regularly to spot any damage before it becomes a bigger problem.

How To Clean A Fibreglass Roof?

If you have a dirty fibreglass roof or perhaps you’re just planning to have one installed on a newly constructed house, then you’d probably want to know the best way to have your fibreglass roof cleaned.

Generally, fibreglass roofs are of great quality and happens to be a lot more resistant to moisture, heat, water and even fire when compared to the other alternative flat roofing materials. As a result, they require just a little maintenance but this doesn’t mean they should be totally ignored. Truth be told, cleaning of a fibreglass roof is as easy as it get, however, when it comes to working at height, skill and confidence is paramount to guarantee your safety. If you lack any of these two qualities, then it’s highly recommended that you sought the services of a reliable roof cleaning contractor who can do the work safely and perfectly. If you’re able to clean and maintain your fibreglass roof as you should, you wouldn’t have to think about replacement for about 20 to 30 years.

Cleaning is simple and doesn’t take much time. Now let’s take a look at the process.

✓ Preparation. Hose down the vegetation around the area with water to protect them. Once done, mix a gallon of warm water with one quarter cup trisodium phosphate and 1 quart of bleach. Put this mixture into a garden sprayer and sweep any dirt or debris off the roof with a broom.

✓ Application. Spray the mixture over the fibreglass roof, ensuring that it gets to all the necessary corners where dirt may be hidden. Allow this applied solution to sit for up to 15 minutes to loosen the stubborn stains and dirts on the roof.

✓ Finishing. Spray cold water to wash down all the solutions. If there’s still some dirts, you can repeat the process till the fibreglass roof is entirely clean.

There is simply not one single answer when it comes to knowing how much would it cost to replace a commercial roof. Replacement costs is a variable which is dependent on several factors.

If you are looking to take a shot at guessing an estimate, you will first need to understand the what is need for the replacement.

YOUR COMMERCIAL ROOF IS AGEING

The first sign of replacement is definitely the age. Generally, roofs come with a warranty of twenty years. Based on your materials, the real lifespan for a commercial roof tends to be around 15 to 25 years. Depending on the maintenance and the materials, lifespan can be prolonged.

YOUR COMMERCIAL ROOF LOOKS TIRED

Compare your commercial property with other buildings in the area. If it looks pale and worn out in comparison, it is high time for replacement.

WATER DAMAGE

A sturdy roof should be able to withstand extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain or high winds. However, if a storm has caused significant damage to your roof, its structural integrity might be compromised. water damage is one of the most indicative signs for a roof replacement.

CRACKS AND HOLES IN ROOFING MATERIALS

Proper upkeep of the roofing materials is required for it to continue protecting your property. If you find any cracks or holes, bent tiles or sheets, replacing them is advisable.

SAGGING COMMERCIAL ROOF

Roof replacement is critical when your roof suffers from sagging or corrosion. Once sagging or corrosion begins, the structure becomes vulnerable to damage.

Keeping all the above factors in mind, replacing your commercial roof can range from anywhere around £10,900 to £44,000 depending on the materials you choose. Materials are available in the market from £35 to around £75 per square meter. If you chose higher or premium quality materials, price can range from £115 to £200 per square meter.

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.