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Commercial roof damage: repair or replace?

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by Neil Boylan

Neil Boylan

Contracts Director

Discovering that a commercial roof has been damaged is far from an ideal situation – and it’s likely to lead to many questions. Where did the damage come from? How will you get it repaired? Does the roof need to be replaced? Is the damage going to cause damage to the building’s structure or interior? And, of course, how much is this all going to cost?

Here at Jones Weatherproofing, our team of experts is here to help you sort out the answers to all of these questions. Our surveying team can help you to work out the cause of the damage, find the best solution and help to ensure the commercial roof repairs provide many years of trouble-free service.

What causes roof damage?

There are many reasons why a commercial roof may need repair – and the actual cause of the damage can range from general wear and tear over time, through to weather damage, vermin or even people walking over the roof.

For example, if the weather becomes hot, the bitumen or felt can move around on its own; people working over a roof structure can cause damage, even if they’re careful; and building penetrations, if they’re not properly installed, could lead to roof damage over time. Birds and rodents may start out making small holes, but these can get bigger and worse over time.

Older roofs, meanwhile, also tend to need repairs due to elements simply wearing out. In particular, roof sheets and end-lap details, flashing junctions and cladding intersections can become water-entry points over time.

It’s also important to remember that what looks like a small amount of roof damage now can quickly get worse. A single leak may seem like something you can easily deal with, but water and wind can be incredibly destructive, and it won’t take long for the roof condition to deteriorate.

The benefits of commercial roof repairs

One of the first responses many people have to discovering roof damage is thinking that the roof must be replaced. But the good news is that’s not always the case. Thanks to modern materials and techniques, commercial roof repairs can often be carried out, resulting in a durable and weather-tight roof that should last for many years.

So, why opt for commercial repairs instead of a roof replacement? Here are just some of the benefits:

  • Cost effective – Replacing an entire roof, or even a section of one, can be an expensive undertaking, especially on large commercial roofs. Repairs, on the other hand typically are a fraction of the replacement cost, and the results are just as reliable.
  • Fast – As you can imagine, a roof replacement can take a long time. Depending on the severity of the damage, however, commercial roof repairs can be relatively quick. Not only does this help to keep costs down, but it also means less disruption to business in the commercial building.
  • Environmentally friendly – When a roof is replaced, the old materials often end up going to landfill. With a repair, however, most of the old structure is left in place and continues to serve a purpose, while the repair materials are used to add reinforcement and weatherproofing.

Commercial roof repairs from Jones Weatherproofing

Established in 1979, Jones Weatherproofing has extensive experience in commercial roof repairs, as well as service risers and building penetrations. This means we can provide a complete commercial roof service.

Through our extensive surveys, our team of experts can assess a damaged roof and come up with long-term solutions that not only repair the damage but also ensure the roof’s life is extended and works better than it ever did.

Using cold-applied liquid waterproofing and our specially developed fibre-reinforced system, we’ve worked on a wide range of commercial projects, from shopping centres, office blocks and factories to schools and sports stadia. In fact, our repair methods are suitable for use on any roof, including flat and low-pitch roofs.

To learn more about our commercial roof repairs service and find out if repairs are a better option for your building than a roof replacement, please get in touch.

How do service risers help achieve improved U-values?

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by Matthew Jones

Matthew Jones

Commercial Director

When carrying out work on a building’s fabric, the structure’s U-value is a critical consideration. This is especially true when dealing with building and roof penetrations since the holes created will need to be properly constructed and sealed to keep the U-values as low as possible.

Here at Jones Weatherproofing, we understand the importance of U-values, and that’s why we’ve developed our unique GRP service riser solutions for commercial buildings. These have been designed to provide a thermally efficient seal around roof penetrations, ensuring that the thermal efficiency of the building fabric is maintained.

Service risers and U-values

There are many different ways to measure a building’s environmental performance, and the main focus is generally on carbon and energy usage. The amount of heat that leaks from a structure plays a big part in how easy it is to maintain the internal temperature – and that’s where U-values come into the equation.

Also known as thermal transmittance, the U-value is calculated by determining the rate of transfer of heat through a structure and dividing it by the difference in temperature across the structure. Individual materials have U-values, but it’s the overall U-value of a building that ultimately matters. This means that all the materials used must be considered, as well as workmanship and the standard of installation.

Design can also play a part in a building’s U-values. For example, when finding a solution for service risers in a building, common ‘dog kennel’ or cladded ‘shed’ systems can have a detrimental impact on thermal transmittance. The service risers from Jones Weatherproofing, however, are designed to protect and seal in important systems – such as air conditioning equipment, electrical systems, factory plant and other building services – while also preventing unwanted heat loss from the building.

Service risers from Jones Weatherproofing – the better option

Here at Jones Weatherproofing, our fibreglass roof penetration solutions and service risers have been developed to ensure optimal U-values. They are a particularly good option for concrete insulated flat roofs on commercial buildings, but can also be used with other roof constructions.

In addition, our installation teams are experts at creating finished results that are weatherproof and effectively insulated, without gaps or cold bridges that could negatively affect a building’s U-values.

As well as the improved U-values of Jones Weatherproofing service risers, our solutions also have a lower profile than other options. This is ideal for building aesthetics, as the riser is less noticeable once installed. It’s also beneficial in locations like London where space and planning permission can be an issue. Other benefits include a quicker installation time, longer lifespan and a more cost-effective effective solution.

To find out more about the benefits of GRP service risers, and to discuss your requirements with the experts at Jones Weatherproofing, please contact us today.

Celebrating 40 years of building penetration solutions

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by Daren Jones

Daren Jones

Joint Managing Director

Here at Jones Weatherproofing, we take pride in providing high-quality and reliable building and roof penetration solutions – and we are delighted to announce that 2019 marks our 40th anniversary!

Over the years, we have worked hard to perfect our systems, improve techniques and make the most of new materials and technology to ensure that the work we do looks good, is weatherproof and will withstand the test of time – just like our company.

Many of the building penetrations, roof windows, rooflights and architectural mouldings that we installed decades ago are still in use today. We expect the projects we work on today to last through their 25-year warranty and beyond, and we look forward to re-visiting them on our 65th anniversary.

To celebrate our ruby anniversary, we thought we’d take a quick look at some of the roofing projects we’ve worked on during our four decades in business.

40 years of building penetration solutions

Over 40 Years delivering watertight roofing solutions!

Weathering to sports stadia

Successfully weatherproofing a sports stadium requires significant planning and effort – columns, supports, ties, struts and other structural elements penetrate various types of cladding, including composite, single skin and in-plane GRP rooflight areas.

We’ve worked on many such projects over the years, for high-profile clients whose solutions haven’t failed for over 20 years. One such client was Celtic FC in Glasgow. Others have included Manchester United, Blackpool FC, Charlton Athletic, Chelsea FC, Norwich City, Bradford City, Walsall FC and Dundalk Greyhound Stadium.

In 2015, we also worked on the project to transform the Olympic Stadium in London to the new home of West Ham United.

Roof and wall cladding penetrations for factories, shopping centres and other large buildings

We’ve worked on a number of roof and wall penetrations, including service risers, to accommodate building services, plant and rooflights for large buildings such as factories, shopping centres, warehouses, social housing, hotels and transport hubs.

For example, in 2014, we completed several contracts at the new Jaguar Land Rover Advanced Engine Manufacturing plant in Wolverhampton. The projects included penetrations through the roof and wall cladding for M&E services and structural steelwork.

Other projects have included rooflights at Cadbury Leominster, the new Leeds railway station and the new Doha international airport in Qatar.

Smaller projects and historic buildings

While much of the work we carry out is for large projects and new builds, our team is also capable of carrying out smaller projects, and we even have experience working on historic properties.

Success in these projects is all thanks to our extensive experience, careful planning and expert team. It just goes to show how our long history has helped us to perfect our quality and processes. Plus, since our staff retention is extremely high, the knowledge and skills of our team are extensive – and they are capable of handling bespoke projects of any size or complexity.

One such project that we worked on was a weathering and roof repairs for a historic windmill. Following completion, the client praised the team, the workmanship and the quality of the weatherproofing. He noted that before we began work, the windmill’s leaky roof let in “pints if not gallons” of water whenever it rained – but now “not one drop of rain makes its way in”.

Jones Weatherproofing: building penetrations, rooflights, roof windows and GRP architectural mouldings

As experts in roof and building penetrations, Jones Weatherproofing is delighted to be celebrating our 40th anniversary, and we’re thankful to all the clients we’ve worked with over the years. We’ve come a long way since we started out, and we look forward to another four decades of building customer relationships and providing weatherproof solutions.

Whether you’re looking for durable, low-maintenance and weatherproof roof penetrations, cladding penetrations, roof windows or GRP architectural mouldings, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ll be happy to discuss your project in more detail.