Testimonial
"Reliable Roofer is one of the best companies I have dealt with. Always courteous when speaking to them and when engagaed to do work it is always done on time and very professionally. I would thoroughly recommend them and personally would not use anyone else for roofing work"
Reliable Roofer are proud members of:
Reliable Roofer - Jargon Buster
I will always try to keep the "jargon" I use to a minimum, but you may come across these in surveys or reports - hope they come in handy!
QUICK LINKS
- Slate
- Tile
- Corrugated Sheeting
- Felt
- Mastic Asphalt
- Fibreglass
- Specialist Compounds
- Capillary Action
- Condensation
Roofing Types - Pitched
SLATE - made of either natural slate from Wales or Spain, or manufactured slate using pressed fibre which can be impregnated with the colour or have it spray coated. Slates are secured with nails onto wooden battens. Repairs can be easily carried out to this roof type. A well installed and maintained slate roof, should last a lifetime.
TILE - made of either clay or concrete and designed to be overlapping or interlocking. Tiles come in many colours, sizes and shape. Tiles are secured using copper or zinc nails onto wooden battens. Repairs can be easily carried out to this roof type. A well installed and maintained tiled roof, should last a lifetime.
CORRUGATED SHEETING - made of either plastic, concrete asbestos or metal designed for use on pre-fabricated or out-buildings (garages, farm buildings etc). Sheets are fixed using specialist screws or hooks, usually secured to a wood or metal roof-frame. Minor repairs to joints or crakes can be carried out, however it is common to require individual sheet replacement.
Roofing Types - Flat
FELT - The most light-weight of flat roofing options, felt is available in a wide range of colours. Felt roofs are laid on decking. Modern techniques require the use of a three or four-layer system to lay a flat roof. The felt is layered using either heat from a gas-gun or hot bitumen applied with a mop. Reflective finishes of either coloured slate chips or limestone chippings can be applied to reflect the sun's heat, reducing wear and tear. Repairs can be easily carried out to this roof type. A well installed and maintained felt roof, should last from 10 to 30 years, depending on the grade of felt used.
MASTIC ASPHALT - Most commonly seen on commercial property and car-parks, asphalt is the premier flat-roof option. Made from course and fine aggregates bound together using bitumen and flux, asphalt is a dense voidless material. Asphalt is laid over decking. It is heated to 220 degrees centigrade, using a heated pot or machine before being laid in two coats to a thickness of 20mm. Reflective coatings can be applied, using a smooth-finish exterior paint. Repairs can be easily carried out to this roof type. A well installed and maintained asphalt roof, should last a lifetime.
FIBREGLASS - This compound is often used in roofing for repairs to flat roofs, box gutters and large industrial guttering repairs.
SPECIALIST COMPOUNDS - these include fibreglass-impregnated rubber, designed for repairs to flat roofs or as a reflective coating.
Common Problems
CAPILLARY ACTION - Water is sucked through into the property due to either a build up of rubbish near an entry to a roof, or exposed porous materials are causing water movement.
CONDENSATION - Water vapour or moisture caused due to a dramatic difference in the air temperature inside and outside your property. Lack of air circulation also contributes to condensation problems. Black spores near cold spots and windows can also appear.
