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Types of roofs top

Tiled Roofs

Tiled Roofs come in a variety of shapes, sizes & designs.

Slate Roofs

Conventional, Peter louw, Fibre cement & Everite slate roofs.

Iron Roofs

Corrugated & IBR Iron Roofs.

Waterproofing

Torch-on systems.
Acrylic systems.

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Tiled Roofs

TILED ROOFS COME IN A VARIETY OF SHAPES & DESIGNS.

 

The main thing to consider on a tile roof is the Pitch. Lower pitched tiled roofs require an adequate & functioning underlay to remain waterproof in all weather conditions. An important factor to adhere to is the batten spacing.
The basic roof or truss structure must be sound & fitted to specifications. The batten spacing should be between 300mm & 320mm C/C when using the normal ±420 x ±300 sized cement roof tiles. Various shapes & colours are available from different manufactures.

BASIC MAINTENANCE ON TILED ROOFS.

1. Valleys
2. Half-gables/chimneys
3. Hips & Ridging
4. Water-channels of the tiles 

The valleys, half gables & chimney flashing need to be checked & cleaned regularly. Just cleaning or sweeping over the top of the tiles will not be productive. The valley, half-gable & chimney tiles need to be removed. The underlying flashings properly cleaned & the lip-settings reset. Any clinched-over nails removed & the flashing secured properly with self-tapping fasteners & rubber washers. Any rust found on the valleys or flashings treated & then painted. The water-channels of the tiles checked & cleaned. The tiles can then be replaced ensuring a good fit.

SEE DETAILED SECTIONS ON THE DIFFERENT ROOF TYPES

A visual inspection by a competent experienced person or professional will be able to determine any sagging or distortion in the tile patterns that may lead to future problems which if addressed timelessly would prevent serious damages. Cracks in the walls or along the beam filling or around the sprockets would also indicate movement & is another sign of latent defects that should be attended to. Sagging along any of the hip or ridge lines or the face of any roof section should also be checked out by a competent professional. A visual sight along the profile of the roof tiles can determine movement of the roof structure. If initially tiled properly & in straight lines with even batten spacing's any degree of movement will be indicated by the degree of distortion or curved lines. The distortion or curve would identify the direction of movement &/or any potential danger or not. This would also be picked up on any adjoining gables, cracked mortar & missing collars and fine cracks should be attended to. Chimney over flashing should be checked regularly & hip & ridge tiles re-grouted or sealed as needed.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE

Sealing over the tiles with any type of waterproofing, thick paint or "specialised" compound is not recommended at all. In all probability this will not stop any roof leaks but will actually aggravate the problem in the long term. It is always imperative to investigate & discover the root cause of any water leak the roof may have & rectify the underlying cause. Patching over a problem section is never recommended. Determining & rectifying the root cause is very important for short & long term solutions.

Tile
Tile Maintenance
Image by Pedro Mealha

Slate Roofs

Types of Slate Roofs

CONVENTIONAL

Batten spacing's vary depending on the length of the slates. Various width sizes are also used. Effectively the slates overlap allowing for more than a double layer of slate coverage. The bottom slate extends completely under the slate above it as well as approximately 70mm under the one above that. This allows for a watertight covering If the timber structure is installed precisely & accurately, the hips would miter & then soakers fitted between the mitered sections for a watertight seal. If there is a discrepancy along the junctions a saddle ridge is installed with a waterproofing underlay below the saddle ridge the same as would be done at the apex along all the ridge sections. The valleys should also be installed with soakers between each row of slates along the length of the valley. Fitting flat or inverted ridge valleys on a slate roof is not the best solution.

PETER LOUW METHOD

This type of installation allows for a single layer of slates with the overlap from the lower slate extending slightly under the slate above it. The resulting gaps between the slates are then compensated & made waterproof with an underlay that runs between the slates. This roof is as waterproof or as good as the underlay. The underlay has a limited lifespan. Once the underlay deteriorates it has to be replaced. Considering the cost between the underlay & the additional slates required to install a conventional slate roof we recommend that the conventional method be used.

FIBRE CEMENT OR EVERITE SLATE ROOF SYSTEM.

Generally there is a standard size of 400 x 600mm. The slates are laid in the same manner as a conventional slate roof. These slates have an additional copper rivet fitted on the lower end of each slate to reduce curling. They are obtainable in a variety of colours & can also be repainted when required.

Slate
Slate Maintenance
Iron
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Iron Roofs

IRON ROOFS COME IN A VARIETY OF SHAPES AND DESIGNS. CORRUGATED IRON, IBR, BROWNBULT, WIDESPAN & OTHER PROFILES IN A VARIETY OF FINISHES.

The main thing to consider on an iron roof is rust & the fasteners. Iron roofs also require a reasonable runoff. A minimal slope that allows ponding is not acceptable. The sheeting should be kept clean & free of any debris that may cause blockages & restrict water-flow. Sealing the side-laps of the sheeting is not recommended. The front laps should never be sealed. Any water seeping in at these places will cause accelerated rust & deteriorate the sheeting

INAPPROPRIATE SEALING CAUSES ACCELERATED RUST ON IRON ROOFS.

The roofing fasteners need to be checked, attempting to hammer the screws down often leads to the sheeting being dented which in turn causes ponding around the screw allowing for water seepage & inflow ultimately deteriorating the timbers & rusting the sheeting. Proper self-tapping posi screws & appropriate rubber washers should be used to secure the sheeting, as well as at places additional stitching screws fitted between the purlins. Pop-rivets are not recommended. All flashings & over flashings should be checked regularly.

Waterproofing
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Waterproofing

MAINTENANCE FOR TORCH ON

Regular maintenance is required. The roofs should be kept clean & free of any debris. Especially by & along the outlets. The outlets should be large enough to allow the dispersion of volumes of water even in a cloud burst or hardy rains. Any cracks & lifting along the joints & parapets should be addressed immediately. The waterproofing should be coated regularly with a bitumen based aluminium reflective coating. This effectively prevent the sun from deteriorating & cracking the waterproofing.

ACRYLIC

The acrylic water proofing should be kept clean and free of any debris The acrylic waterproofing should be recoated regularly with a good quality acrylic water proofing compound

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