It’s amazing the things you see when you’re up on a roof!  After 30 years as a roofer, I am still surprised by the things I see that still make me smile or that make me stop for a moment to catch my breath.  I’m lucky enough to work in some beautiful places – the Borough of Richmond has to be one of the most beautiful in London, with its parks and large gardens.  The view from the top of Richmond Hill always makes me grateful for where I work.

So, it got me to thinking as I looked out over Isleworth this morning, in glorious sunshine, what views do you enjoy of your borough?  Perhaps it’s the view you see on the way to work – or more likely, on the way home again.  Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have views of Richmond or Bushy Park from your home or where you work?

We’d love you to share your views with us – and we’ll even give a prize to our favourite – a FREE gutter clean for your home (provided it’s in the TW or KT postcode).  No catch – there will be nothing to pay and I will personally come and clean your gutters of debris and remove the rubbish.

Send your photo along with your name and postcode, email address and daytime phone number, to: roofing@reliableroofer.co.uk

So come on – let’s see what you see when you stop for a moment to appreciate the view.

John Liversidge

The post I can see my house from here! appeared first on Reliable Roofer Ltd.

Yes, after the loss of good ol’ van number 1 we invested in a blue van and had to wait until we could see our favourite signwriters – Darling Signs, and as always, we are so happy! What do you think?

The post Watch out world – our new van is signwritten! appeared first on Reliable Roofer Ltd.

When you have an extension or garage your roof is usually a flat roof. Whether its asphalt, felt or the new fibreglass compound it is a roof that needs to be maintained.

Flat roofs are usually made of materials that can be affected by the heat of the sun, there can be cracks and blisters/blows due to the heat that beats down on them. There are many ways to prevent these from happening too soon and you can easily repair them if you get to them soon enough.

Here are my Flat roof tips for your property:

1. Sun-proof your asphalt roof – there is a special solar paint that is white that can be applied to your asphalt roof. This needs to be done every 5 years. It acts like a “sun cream” for your roof and reflects the sun off of it.
2. Gravel – your felt roof may have gravel on your flat roof. This is because some councils insist on the use of the gravel to prevent burning embers. Unless it is insisted upon we recommend that you do not have this on your felt roof. The reason why we recommend three-layer felt (with no gravel) is because it is very easy to spot any problems and repair quickly; there is no risk of fire (as we use very high temperature gas flames to put the felt onto your roof!)
3. Fibreglass or GRP – this is a new product that is becoming more popular for flat roofs. It is a layered covering that goes over tongue and groove boards that are then layered over with a fibreglass covering and resin. It is then painted over to make a very solid covering. This is a covering that can be difficult to replace once down and we do not recommend it if you are planning to put a fence on it as this will put holes in it!

Remember to have your flat roof checked every year as they can be damaged quickly and if spotted soon enough it can be easily repaired.

How is your flat roof being used? Have you thought about putting a roof top garden on it?

Keeping the roof over your head happy

John the reliable roofer

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UFOs?! No I don’t mean the UFOs that we see in the movies, I’m talking about Ultimate Flu Outlets, and these are for chimneys and are fitted to give a great amount of air flow for your fire whilst protecting it from debris. C-Caps are used for chimneys that have no fireplace below them and do the same as the UFOs but don’t let the airflow in.

Your chimney is there because you once had a fireplace, it’s also a great decorative feature for your home too (and usually great for fitting your TV antenna to!).

Whether your chimney is just for decoration or for your fireplace you need to make sure it’s maintained. The pointing (the cement between the bricks) and the flashing (the lead that prevents the water going into your roof) need to be watched and potentially repaired every few years. To make sure your chimney doesn’t fall off your roof, make sure your roofer takes a look at it on their annual visit, this will give them the opportunity to notice any gaps or problems before they create any damage for your roof.

When have you last had your chimney checked? Have you heard any strange sounds like whistling coming from it?

Keeping  the roof over your head happy,

John the reliable roofer

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As the days grow longer I always notice how dark it can be in a room that has few windows in the room, and wonder, would a skylight, or roof light,  be a good idea?

Now, we have one in the kitchen and it’s made a great difference for the light that we usually don’t use the electric lights until the sun goes down!

Roof lights can be a great source of light and ventilation when you put them on correctly and can bring a great new feeling of space too. Many people are now putting skylights into landings or halls to make it feel more airy and bright.

Wonderful example from Velux

When you have your skylight fitted you need to make sure you have remembered a few things:

1. What type do you want? There are so many options you can feel a little overloaded, here are some of the options you can have, if you tell the roofer straight away that can save them and you a lot of time! If you’re unsure, pop down to a local roofing supplies centre and ask to look at their stock.
2. Know exactly where you want it – whether you want it 20 inches down from that specific tile in your kitchen or centred in the middle of the flat roof extension make sure to tell your roofer, once they’ve made the hole in your roof it’s very difficult to fill it in again!
3. Keep it clean – when you get your roof light fitted you will want to make sure it’s kept clean for the best light. Clean it whenever you can or ask your roofer to do it when they come for your annual roof check.

Where would you have your roof light? Do you have a specific style that you like?

Keeping the roof over your head happy,

John the reliable roofer

The post Roof lights for your kitchen (or bedroom, bathroom, lounge…) appeared first on Reliable Roofer Ltd.

Ahh, that word “scaffolding” which drives fear into many. It is usually a necessity for the safety of your roofer, but do you think it is H&S gone mad?

I personally don’t think so. I make sure that my requirements for a scaffold are always with honest reasons such as the height of the property or the difficulty of the access. When a roofer explains that he needs a scaffold do try to remember that he or she will be on your roof, they will be at least 2 storeys up doing quite a laborious job.

Here are my Tips on how to know a scaffold necessity from a scaffold that’s not needed:

1. How high is the property? If your home is over 2 storeys then it is law to use a scaffold. We simply can’t bypass this.
2. How easy is the access? If you need your roofer to replace your chimney, two storeys up and over a conservatory, he/she will need a scaffold! Not just for the task of bringing all the debris down but for the safety of themselves. A chimney is a difficult object to remove, and the position to sit/stand in is usually pretty dangerous so scaffolding is there to protect them too. This can be true of other objects such as gutter replacement, tile and ridge repairs and many others. Try and think to yourself – would I want to send my loved one to do this work without a scaffold? If the answer is a no, then you have the answer!
3. Think of other jobs you’d like to get done while the scaffold is up – you can get a lot done when you think about it! If you want your house painted, the windows cleaned, your rendering done…the list goes on!
4. Ask for advice – if you are honestly concerned that the scaffolding is not needed then ask for advice, get another roofer’s opinion and quote and see what they say.

So, what are your scaffold stories? Do tell me about any concerns you have about scaffolding and I’ll help where I can!

Keeping  the roof over your head happy,

John the reliable roofer

The post Scaffolding – a safety feature or Health & Safety gone mad? appeared first on Reliable Roofer Ltd.

Many of you will know that lead is quite a valuable metal, churches and graded buildings are often victims of lead stealing, which can mean great expenses to replace the stolen lead and the potential for water damage in the wait for a quotation, scaffold (where required) and the job to be completed.

I always recommend that, if you are using lead on your home, to ensure that is in a hard to see place or that your home has good security to prevent the culprits from being able to access the area.

You will also see on some buildings a strange white substance going down their roof from the lead in the chimney, this is because the lead has not been coated, always ensure that your roofer puts paternation oil onto the lead to protect it from the rain.

My tips on how to keep your lead safe

1. Use lead dots – these are screws with washers and a lead dot on top. These not only ensure that your lead is securely in place but they make it a nightmare for the lead to be taken off again. These are a great preventative measure for your lead.
2. Use alternatives to lead – there are many options for your property, usually at a much lower cost too. With options such as Alto-Lead, which is usually accepted for listed buildings too, you can save money and know that no-one will want to steal it!
3. Have the lead in a hard to see place – this will ensure that your lead cannot be seen by potential “lead scouts” and make sure that your home is safe.

Have you ever had your lead stolen from your property? What measures did you take to prevent it from happening again?

Keeping the roof over your head happy,

John the reliable roofer

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Many clients come to me with problematic roofs, as they should, I am I roofer after all! And I regularly notice one big problem – condensation.

You may think it will be easy to spot but in many cases it can seem to be a leak. Condensation is not only bad for your property but it can become black fungus which is bad for your family (and your white windows!).

To ensure that you don’t get affected by condensation here are my “Top Tips to a Condensation-free home”

1. Keep windows slightly ajar – do this in every room to make sure that water particles can escape.
2. Open your window after a shower or bath – even if you do this for 20 minutes to let the steam escape it can prevent an attack of condensation. Try to ensure all family members do this and then you can shut it on your next “powder room” moment.
3. Clean your window frame regularly – not only is this a good cleanliness tip but it will help you to notice if you have any black fungus around the edges, a common sign of condensation and a prompter to open your windows.

I hope these tips help you prevent condensation in your home, have you had condensation before? How did you make sure it didn’t come back again?

Keeping the roof over your head happy,

John the reliable roofer

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After 2011’s and 2010’s rain-free(ish) summers and snowy winters I am sure you now understand the importance of a healthy roof. Many new clients came to us in a panic requesting emergency repairs as their families were due to come for Christmas and a leak was coming into the kitchen!

What a relief to know that your roof is leak free all year round. To know that when you invite guests you don’t have to worry if it’ll rain tonight, but to ensure that you aren’t stuck in the “mud” you need to get your rain-protector checked regularly.

Simply waiting for the rain or snow to come to show up a dripping ceiling can mean you have already got internal damage.

What I recommend

1. Get your gutters cleaned regularly – Many leaks are caused by blocked or leaking gutters. The water gets blown into your wall and thus will seep in causing a leak.
2. Check your roof annually – Many insurers won’t cover replacement roofs if they haven’t been checked in accordance to manufacturer’s instructions (usually annual maintenance for flat roofs), so to ensure you can claim, if necessary, and to give yourself the peace of mind, get your roof checked each year when your gutters get cleaned.
3. Use an expert – I’m sure you’re thinking “he’s just saying that because he’s a roofer!” I know how to spot a leak and I know how to fix it quickly and easily. Using an expert means you won’t have to keep going up and down your ladder just to find out the leak isn’t fixed.
4. Use stain-blocker – Once the leak is fixed by your roofer, make sure you use stain blocker paint. This will get rid of the mark and, more importantly, show you if the leak isn’t fixed!

So, remember these 4 simple steps and your roof should remain in good nick for years to come. If you have any questions we are here to help so please feel free to get in touch.

I’d love to hear your roofing stories, have you had a repetitive leak that just doesn’t seem to go away?

Keeping the roof over your head happy,

John the reliable roofer

The post Why your roof is so important appeared first on Reliable Roofer Ltd.