When leaks are becoming a regular occurrence, it’s probably time to look at replacing your whole roof, rather than repairing it.
However, when you’re getting this work done, it’s easy to overlook some of the important elements and not consider all of the options available to you. So, it’s a good idea to spend a bit of time with your roofer to discuss the scope of the job and what materials are best to use. That way, you’ll know your roof looks is going to look its best and last a long time.
But what elements should you be focusing on? Here are three important details you don’t want to overlook when replacing a roof.
The roof tiles
The most prominent component on your roof is the tiles. Not only is this the most visible part but it’s a key part of the weatherproofing. So, even though cost is a factor, you want to consider how your tile choice will make your roof look and think about how suitable they are for the local climate and how durable they are compared with other options.
Pantiles, clay tiles and slate are traditional options that add a lot of character to a home and help it look more in keeping with the local area. Therefore, you might use traditional tiles to add charm and give your home kerb appeal. It’s also worth being aware that in some protected areas such as National Parks, you may have to go with a traditional tile to satisfy local planning rules.
But traditional tiles aren’t always the best option. For instance, concrete tiles can be a better option for some roof types, such as those with a low pitch, as they’re durable and don’t easily absorb water. However, they can be heavier than other tile types, so you still need to check they’re suitable.
It’s also worth considering modern tiling materials such as composite and fibre cement tiles, as they can give you the best of both worlds. For instance, you can get textured fibre cement tiles that look like natural slate but are chip and dirt-resistant.
The type of house you live in could be an important factor in your roof tile choice too. Should you live in a terrace or semi-detached house, having different tiles to your neighbour may ruin the seamless look of the roof and affect its performance. Your roof may need extra work such as the installation of a bonding gutter to prevent leaks where the different tiles meet.
The ridge and hip tiles
Although many homeowners do spend time thinking about the type of tiles their new roof should have, very few spend any time considering the ridge and hip tiles.
However, the shape and colour of these tiles can make a big difference to the overall appearance of your roof. For instance, red clay ridge tiles could create a nice contrast to the blue-grey of slate roof tiles.
Ridge tiles also need to be the right shape to work with your roof’s slope and ensure it stays leak free. So, make sure you and your roofer are choosing the closest match to the pitch of the roof.
As much as your other tiles do, ridge and hip tiles need to suit the age of the house. So you may also want to consider the merits of heritage-style tiles or consider adding finials at the ends of the roof’s ridges. If you live in a listed building or a conservation area, you may find you’re compelled to do this anyway.
It’s worth making sure you go for capped ridge tiles wherever possible as these interlock, providing better weatherproofing but it’s also discussing the fixing method with your roofer too. For conservation projects, you might have to stick to the traditional mortared-in method of fixing roof tiles but mortar can crack over time. So, if dry-fixing is an option, you may prefer to go with this method.
The guttering
As it’s not always necessary to replace your gutters when you have a new roof, this detail can often be overlooked. But gutters and downpipes are just as important as your tiles for keeping your home watertight.
If your gutters are broken, sagging or warped, then the decision to get these renewed at the same time as your roof is a sensible one. But there are other reasons for replacing guttering.
The main one of these is that they simply aren’t doing a very good job. In areas that see a lot of heavy downpours, you may want deeper profile gutters as they’re designed to handle higher volumes of rainwater. You may also want to switch to guttering that’s a little more decorative or more contemporary in style, such as an Ogee or square gutter.
If your guttering works fine but is getting quite old, you might simply decide it’s better to replace it now. This saves the need to put scaffolding up at a later date.
Although plastic guttering is pretty standard these days, you shouldn’t overlook the benefits of metal gutters. Plastic can fade and become brittle over time and it might not be the most robust choice in exposed locations. It’s not the most sustainable option either. So, you might wish to consider an alternative such as aluminium, which is durable, light and available in a range of colours.