When it rains you probably sometimes see a gutter that slopes down the wrong way on a building, such that the water barely goes anywhere near the downpipe, hardly an unusual occurrence in heavy rain.In such a case, chances are that this could have probably been prevented from happening in the first place. The person who would have done that, the same one whose job it will ultimately be to rectify this problem is a roof plumber.
A roof plumber is a specialist in all things concerning metal roofing, roof covering or flashing, guttering and drainage. To add to their repertoire, they also know the ins and outs of any part of a drainage system that collects or disposes of storm water, or any connection of storm water pipes to rain water tanks and downpipes to your drainage disposal point. The roof covers themselves, however, which are made of concrete, non-metallic tiles, timber and such are installed and repaired by roofers, and do not come under the term ‘roof plumbing’.
So, When Do You Need To Call A Roof Plumber?
While undertaking the process of construction of a new house or building, you may need a roof plumber for numerous jobs, among them:
- Design and installation of roof drainage systems.
- Installation of rain water tanks and other collection devices.
- Measurement, fabrication and installation of gutters, downpipes and storm water disposal systems.
- Construction of roof flashing, ductwork joints, angled gutters and stop ends.
- Termination of building storm water drains at street kerb or storm water drainage system.
Maintenance And Repair Of Gutters And Downpipes
Roof plumbers, in addition to new construction work, also play their aforementioned role as maintenance and repair experts for all things involving storm water and gutters. Gutters and down pipes are designed so that rain water from your roof is properly drained away from the building structure and immediate surroundings. It goes without saying that it is very important that the building structure should be protected as much as possible to ensure safeguarding of its structural integrity. Water is known to erode even some of the hardest materials when its effects are compacted over time.
Some other problems that need to be mitigated by the regular maintenance and repair a include roof leaks, erosion of the foundation and other elements of the building fabric, as well as other property, and lastly the of a mould and mildew problem.
For this reason, when you need proper cleaning of gutters, repairing and fitting gutter guards and installing mesh coverings to prevent accumulation of leaves and other unwanted debris in gutters becomes crucial to enlist the services of a roof plumbers. Fixing leaks or blockage in storm water down pipes is also their responsibility as well, so you should be sure to have on hand the contact of a roof services company immediately you spot such problems.
Fixing Roof Leaks
Roof leaks can be a very expensive contingency if not identified in time. If the cause of your roof leak is a block in the gutters or faulty storm water drainage, who better to contact than a roof plumber? Prevention is undoubtedly better than cure; therefore, the best way to avoid roof leaks due to these problems is with seasonal cleaning out of your roof and gutter.
Rainwater Tank Installation And Maintenance
Installing a rain water tank is a sustainable plumbing practice. It greatly reduces wastage of precious water resources and once harvested, rain water can be used for a plethora of water needs according to your domestic requirements. The advantages are most definitely much more than just significantly reducing your water bills.
Designing a rain water harvesting system requires deciding upon a suitable tank size, fitting your gutters and down pipes with the proper equipment. This includes, leaf guards, tank screens, flap valves and sufficient vents. When connected to the mains, it’s imperative to have backflow prevention devices. Most rain water collection systems also use first-flush diverters to prevent the initial ‘dirty’ water from entering your collection tank.
Roof Flashing Repairs And Installation
Roof flashing is used to prevent water from entering the roof structure by creating what is called a weather barrier. These are used around chimneys, skylights or other penetrations in your roof to make it watertight. If flashing is not installed properly, it causes leaks and might result in damage to your tiles. It would be prudent to seek the advice and recommendations of your roof plumber, not only when constructing but also when repairing flashing.
To conclude, roof plumbing jobs such as the ones mentioned above are best left to the professionals. Why? Because they incur a great risk and require great skill, so call a roof plumber, won’t you?
