Tips For Choosing The Right Skylight For Your Home

A Skylight is an ideal solution to brighten up any home. It not only brings natural light into the house but also reduces need for artificial lighting. It not only saves money but also keep the carbon footprint down. It can be installed in your kitchen, your hallway, your living room or loft conversion, depending on your needs. In the article below, we offers some tips to choose the right flat roof skylight for your home.

Size

The adage, ‘Bigger is better’ does not apply to skylights. In fact, a bigger size can ruin the whole experience. Size of the opening controls the amount of heat and light coming into your home.

As far as the total size is concerned, a good rule of thumb is that it should account for up to 5% of the floor area of the room. It can be increased up to 15%, in case there are not many windows in the room. So, if the size of the room is 15’ x 20’, making the area 300 ft.², it should cover a total area between 15 and 45 ft.². The dimensions of the opening can be decided accordingly. Continue reading

Thermal Imaging Surveys

Thermal imaging, or thermographic imaging technology, is one of the methods which roof surveyors  will use to detect any heat loss. It does this by taking thermal images of the roof, which will then show where areas of the roof are hotter than others, which indicates where the leak in the roof is.

A leak in your roof could be down to a number of reasons, with a number of potential problems arising as a result. It could simply be an issue with the insulation, and a small job can fix that for relatively little cost, but it could be a real hole which has allowed water to get into your roof structure and begin to cause real damage, resulting in thousands of pounds of costs to repair it.

So, to recap, thermal imaging can be used as means to determine the effectiveness of the heat capturing effect of your property, as well as to determine if there is any damage occurring as a result of a leak. Both of these are important tasks, but one of the things which makes thermal imaging such an attractive option is that it does this entirely through non-invasive methods.

 

EPDM Rubber Roofing Membrane

Firestone EPDM rubber roofing membrane is one of the most popular flat roofing membranes and it’s more than suitable for garages, sheds, extensions and conservatories, while it’s also widely used on commercial properties.

It’s a membrane that is constructed using a cold bonding adhesive, while it’s made of a synthetic rubber compound. You get a really nice smooth finish with this roof but there’s grip too, so you’re guaranteed a good degree of safety when carrying out maintenance work.

It’s lightweight and eco-friendly whilst it’s relatively easy to install, yet we always recommend that you use professional roofing contractors. It’s widely used for repairs and replacements so consider this membrane if you need a replacement for your garage or extension.

Vent Heat the Right Way

Smoke vents systems are installed in our homes and buildings to act as an active fire protection measure. These are openings found on the rooftops and are intended to vent heat and smoke produced when there is a fire in the building because of buoyancy action. Such and similar vents are referred to as gravity vents.

The vents also prevent grease and steam vapours from staining the kitchen ceiling and walls, allows the low-level escape routes to be clear from smoke thus reducing damage that could be caused on the building by smoke. These systems have three main components, which are the exhaust fan, return air fan, and the ventilation hood. However, depending on the function of the vent hood, it can be categorised either as a steam hood or as grease hood. Continue reading

Pyramid Rooflights for Plenty of Natural Light

Pyramid rooflights can give a room a tremendous amount of light and these systems are ideal for flat roofs. You essentially get light from four angles, and these rooflights can be offered in a wide range of sizes.

The pyramid style is not often found on residential properties but it really thrives in the commercial sector. You’ll often see these lights installed on schools, factories and shops, while they can be finished in various glazing colours.

Some pyramid rooflights are provided with a hatch making access easy, while these often benefit from the option of electric or manual operation. A fixed pyramid rooflights is the most popular opting and these can be provided with ventilation, yet we’d recommend glass over polycarbonate.

Tips for Hiring a Contractor

The idea of remodeling a house is always very interesting for many people. This is because remodeling gives the house a new feel and makes you feel like you are basically living in a new house. Although remodeling is a great idea, it can be very challenging for a lot of people. This is mainly because it is difficult to find a good contractor for the job even if there are so many of them. The fact that there are many contractors makes it difficult to choose the best because it is not easy to tell who is legit and who is not. There are several tips you can use to ensure you end up hiring the right person for the job.

First and foremost, it is important to get recommendations. There are several people who can give reliable recommendations when you are looking for a contractor. You can ask your friends, family members or a building inspector. This is important because it gives you a chance to be recommended to people who are considered the best for the business. This is one of the easiest ways to get a good contractor. However, you still need to go over some things before you decide to hire the person. Continue reading

Green Roofs – Unique and Refreshing

It’s always a pleasant surprise to see a green roof and it means that the owner of the property has invested in a sustainable home. A green roof is essentially made up of various layers including vegetation, growing membrane, moisture retention fleece, aqua drain, Sarnafil membrane, insulation, a vapour control layer and structural a structural deck.

The roof is designed to absorb rain water (up to 70%), while it is relatively low maintenance. These roofs are not necessarily expensive to install but they do need a little bit of maintenance work if you want to keep them tidy.

Some people have used these systems on houses, garages and commercial properties, and they are certainly visually appealing, while it’s a nice surprise and you’ll always get a few turned heads when you invite guests over.

Leakage Solution – The Rubberised Plygene Gutterline System

Gutters are often taken for granted, until they begin to leak that is, and the rubberised Plygene Gutterline system is a quality solution. It’s essentially lining for a tired gutter but it’s compatible with virtually any property. It can be installed to match the shape of a gutter, no matter how complicated while it can be provided in long runs, so it’s suitable for large commercial properties too.

You’ll definitely get a watertight finish with this system and that’s why it’s one of the most widely used guttering systems in the UK, while some properties have been lined in the excess of 200 metres. Not every roofing contractor will be experienced in using this system, and if you are going to use it then always call on the services of a certified installer.

Roof Lights – Getting into Detail…

Roof lights are openings on the roof which allow the penetration of light into the house. Various types of roof lights are available in the market and vary according to design, way of operation, and the raw material used in their manufacture and where to be installed among other factors. The following are examples and explanations of some of the lights:-

Fixed lights

This type is designed to impress and was originally created with the intention of reaching the high end market. Fixed lights are stylish and are usually fixed (one place) unlike other categories which are available in the market. The category is specifically designed so as to give a low external frame thus allowing light into the house. In terms of security, the lights are fitted with a thermally efficient glaze unit hence safer and efficient. This is because safety is the number one factor when considering such kind of lights. The inner part of the light has a laminated pane which not only adds up to the efficiency of the light but also safety of the light. The panes are made in such a way that they stay together when broken as opposed to toughened glass. This is an important aspect since when the lights are broken they do not scatter all over the place hence easier to tidy up whenever they are shattered.  Continue reading

Fibre Glass Roofing for a Garage

A fibre glass roof will require no maintenance whatsoever, and that’s why many people decide to use this system for their garage. The good thing with this system is that it can essentially be moulded into any shape, so if your garage roof is not completely flat without obstructions, it doesn’t matter.

This system is wet laid, and it can be installed relatively quickly, while many roofing contractors use it to carry out repairs. There are also no glued joints and the entire roof can be completed using one continuous piece of GRP. This system sis clear to see on many properties throughout the UK, and you are able to choose whether you want it to be non-slip. It’s a system used on commercial and residential properties, and it’s the perfect finish to a garage.