CALL IN THE EXPERTS

When it comes to a spot of DIY at home, it’s easy to head down to the hardware store to get the tools to do it yourself.

But some jobs are better to be left to the experts and Wise Roof solutions director Scott Cresswell says roofing, any kind of roofing, is one of them. As well as being costly it can be dangerous working at height if you don’t have the right tools and expertise for the job. “The thing is that roofers climb on roofs most days so they’re a lot more confident in it, where as if it’s not something that you’re used too then don’t do it.

“Weigh up whether it’s worth living the rest of your life with a broken back or paying someone a couple of hundred dollars to do the job.” Scott also recommends bringing in a professional before doing it yourself to avoid a hefty bill if something goes wrong. “If you have to phone a professional to come and fix your attempt it’s probably going to cost you more.” When it comes to any concerns around your roof, Scott says there are five things to look out for: • Nails that have come loose • Moss and mould growing on the roof • Gaps between the sheets of roofing iron or between the tiles • Bare patches of metal where the paint system has failed • Areas of the roof that are still wet after it has rained and the roof has dried off. “If it is wet around the nail or the joints in the concrete tile then that can be an area of concern.”

He recommends getting onto any maintenance quickly to avoid a long waiting time to get someone out to fix it. “You don’t want to be the person that has a roof leak and you need your roof replaced and every roofing contractor in a 100-mile radius has a six-month lead time.”

So how can you maintain your roof to avoid future problems? Autumn and winter are the two seasons where it’s important to consistently clean out gutters, especially if the house is surrounded by trees that lose their leaves easily. “What happens is they all build up in the gutter and then they all get caught in your down pipes and then your down pipes don’t work properly and then your gutters over flow or they just hold water constantly. “If you’ve got an internal gutter system it will leak inside so you just want to be getting that water away from your house.” Scott recommends a wet and dry vacuum cleaner as the best tool for the job. “$100 bucks from one of the big stores and you just suck that crap straight out with the vacuum cleaner; it’s fast and you don’t cut your hands to pieces.” If things are more serious and there is a leak in the roof, he recommends getting someone out to look at it, but says expect that if it is a leak that has been there for a while it is likely to be expensive. “A lot of the time I find when someone’s roof leaks it’s a problem that they can’t necessarily fix, they see dollars signs and you become quite concerned about it because it’s “You just need to find a company that can look at that and just be aware that it’s going to take some time for them to get there, or it’s going to be really expensive if you expect them to drop everything to come today or tomorrow.”

potentially your biggest investment and your concerned about the damage it’s doing and all the rest of it. “You just need to find a company that can look at that and just be aware that it’s going to take some time for them to get there, or it’s going to be really expensive if you expect them to drop everything to come today or tomorrow.”

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Ampelite NZ Ltd is a manufacturer and distributor of natural lighting roofing products that has been operating in New Zealand for 25 years. Their extensive product range caters for both residential and commercial applications. The residential range includes products like Solasafe and Easyclick polycarbonate roofing that are suitable for roofing residential deck areas and pergolas. All of Ampelite’s polycarbonate products are UV protected for the New Zealand environment and are available through leading builders merchants throughout New Zealand.

Ampelite is the market leader in commercial fibreglass roofing applications with its key products here being:

Wonderglas is used in warehouses, factories, gymnasiums, etc. This is available in most roofing manufacturer’s profiles and has a market leading 25 year warranty for light transmission.

Webglas is a trafficable fibreglass roofing product. While designed for use in harsh industrial environment applications, it is also approved for use in schools by MoE for covered walkways, etc because of it’s trafficability. Webglas is the only GRP product with a 20 year light, water and structural stability warranty. It is available in Clear, Opal and coloured finishes. The colours can be made to match Colorsteel/Colorcote roofing colours as well as custom colours depending on quantities.

Further to these products, Ampelite’s extensive range includes multi-wall polycarbonate products like Thermoclear and Thermoclick, roofing ventilation products for both residential and commercial use through the Ampelair ventilator range and the Panorama soffit lining system.

To find out about these products and more visit us online at www.ampelite.co.nz or call 0800 267354 to find your closest stockist/distributor.

Webglas in school walkway applications