Clanwilliam - Cape Town recently had a storm in which the wind howled, around 60mm of rain fell - and then the phones of all the major roof repair companies went ballistic.
The last thing I want to do is to take work away from roofing companies but it is important for you as home owners to know a little bit about rain and winds.
Cape Town, for instance, is a winter rainfall region and the north-wester brings our rain, so every roof is fixed in a manner to prevent water entering when it rains from the north. This directionality applies all over the country, depending on rains, and wind direction.
Obviously, there are many causes of leaks but at least, with the info below, when an unscrupulous roofing contractor starts trying to con you out of money to fix something that can’t really be fixed, you have an ace up your sleeve to show you know a little about roofing.
* Very few roof sheeting materials do not interlock. That is, they are joined together to form a continuous unit to protect you from the elements.
* The joint will always be a weak point for water entry. Ensure that the over and under points of each roofing type are laid in such a manner that the penetration of water is made as difficult as possible.
* The open side of the joint should never face into the weather.
Picture this: cup both your hands and put one on top of the other. You will see that the fingers of the top hand are exposed while the fingers on your bottom hand are protected. This is how your roof sheeting should be laid – with your top hand facing into the weather. So when an unusual wind starts driving the rain in, it is going to blow it up and under the fingers of your top hand and you will have leaks that you don’t see normally.
I say this every week, but please ensure that you fix any leaks that appear in winter, before next winter arrives. Do it now – to quote an old advertising slogan – as a summer roof costs less. Roofing contractors are hungry now.
No quick solution to this leaky roof
Question: I recently called in a maintenance company to complete exterior house painting and replacement of fascia boards, etc, and during their visit I requested they check my roof tiles as I had noticed some damp spots on my bedroom ceiling. I was advised the roof tiles were okay. Then I asked them to check inside my roof space as I knew I had a problem somewhere.
The attached photograph reflects what was found. I could not believe what I saw – there are plastic membrane strips hanging down everywhere (the slightest touch on the dusty plastic makes it disintegrate) and daylight can be seen through the roof tiles.
On Sunday it was pouring with rain and I noted my lights flickered (that’s never happened before) so I got my stepladder and viewed the roof space. I noted there are damp areas on the timbers. My ceiling also appears damper than previously.
Can you give me your opinion on what needs to be done to correct this situation and return my roof to its previous rain-proof and weatherproof condition? – Lilian
A There are two glaring problems in Lilian’s question: firstly the “plastic” is not there to keep water out and, secondly, she should not be able to see too much daylight through the tiles.
The plastic, which in today’s world has been replaced by a fibrous membrane, is there to keep dust out and also to equalise pressures when the wind finds its way into your roof, to ensure that the tiles do not jump up and down (wind passing over your roof tends to suck tiles up, which is negated by a barrier underneath stopping the tiles being pushed up), and tiles are designed in such a way that they should lie level and not let daylight in.
The roof is leaking, not because the plastic has disintegrated, but because the tiles are now being moved by the wind action causing gaps which are letting the water in. Also, because the roof is 30 years old, some of the tiles will be cracked and the jointing between the ridge tiles will also be loose and allow the ingress of water.
All the suppliers of roofing tiles specify different methods of fixing tiles relevant to the wind conditions in the area and the pitch of the roof. If every tile is nailed or storm clipped, in theory the roof should not leak as the tiles will not move and allow water in. Sometimes you get lucky; the plastic in my roof in Cape Town is in a worse condition than Lilian’s but so far I have had no leaks because the tiles are securely fixed.
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. The protection barrier needs to be replaced and this cannot be done successfully unless all the tiles are removed and the barrier replaced. There are no quick interior solutions.
Get expert advice before forking out a lot of money
I have been spending a lot of time recently wondering why clients don’t really get what they want or need, or why they spend money that is not necessary, in an attempt to repair something that is irreparable, or spend it on the wrong solution.
Over the past 20 years I have seen standards continually dropping, both in the quality of the product being delivered and the quality of the people providing the service. When I started in this industry, carpenters came to work in collars and ties on the train from Paarl, and then progressed up the ladder to become foremen or went off to train apprentices at building training colleges that were rated as some of the best in the world.
Equally, management was doing their time at universities or technikons and all these institutions were producing good academic and practical skills. I know, because I was one of them.
Nowadays, more and more people are shying away from the industry. Poor pay, poor working conditions and long hours do not fit into the lifestyles of a new generation.
We have managed to produce a workforce of applicators of products rather than people who can solve problems; thus we stick something over something to solve a problem without really knowing what the problem is.
So, when I received the following e-mail from Angus I thought it was time that we start looking at ways of getting good value for money.
I have been in the building industry for 35 years, the past 20 years retailing paint and plumbing products. I recently did the NACE level 2 inspector’s qualification and would like your thoughts on me offering the service as a third party inspector/co-ordinator of painting projects as this is very seldom done by informed and well-trained parties.
Before I get attacked by the reputable contractors out there – and there are many of them – I am looking at ways to help those of you looking for a cheaper option but with a good result. If architects call on the assistance of top level consultants to help them design waterproofing systems, surely it says to you that the average Joe Bakkie Builder needs some assistance in solving your problems.
So, make sure you are being advised by an expert before forking out money on the wrong solution.
There is another party you can go to for advice and that is the manufacturer or supplier of the material that has been specified. If your contractor says he is going to use a material supplied by XYZ, contact XYZ to check that what has been specified will do the job. The supplier would much rather lose a sale than have you phoning him later to complain about his product.
Weekend Argus