Keeping your roof in good shape at all times is very important as failure to do so can result into roof leaks, which can lead to the deterioration of the ceiling board, valley and floor tiles.
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Common causes of roof leaks
You will also be increasing the repair costs if you do not check your roof on a frequent basis. Generally, roof repairs depends on a many factors such as the roof tiles or slate your have used to build your roof.
There are numerous different roof shingles that are available on the market, each one having their own advantages and disadvantages. Being very durable is another reason that makes a tiled roof a popular option for homeowners. But the roof tiles are not immune to wearing out.
Despite their amazing durability, they are susceptible to cracks or even splits depending on the causative agent they have been exposed to. A cracked or slipped tile can become a cause for a roof leak as:
Slates or tiles can fail sometimes resulting in the breaking off the nibs. Therefore,when the nibs break this automatically causes the tiles to slip out from their right position. This can also happen when roof nails become loose.
Strong winds: Sometimes strong winds can dislodge slates or roof tiles from their right position. This is more common in areas that are characterised by strong winds.
Nail sickness: In some cases, the nails which keep the roof tiles and roof tile battens in their right positions may become corroded by rain water. Sometimes the nails may be exposed to chemicals with the capacity to trigger erosion. This often applies to steel nails and rarely to copper nails. In roof terminology, this is often referred to as nail sickness.
It is something that has to be prevented at all costs. It is possible to diagnose nail sickness even before it leads to the deterioration of the roof tiles. Normally, the bottom edges of roof tile or slate rows will not be properly aligned. If you notice this, you have to take action quickly before many broken tiles end up being displaced from their.
Wooden laths: Deterioration of wooden laths which hold the clay roof tiles or slates. In some cases, the roof tiles or slates may be dislodged from their usual positions if the wooden laths on which they‘re embedded happen to deteriorate by termites, chemicals or rain water. Treated woods are a good option as they do not deteriorate so easily.
Roof joists: Roofs mostly rest on joists which act as the main supporting units of the roof framework. The joists are tight to the roof with nails. If the nails become loose when they deteriorate, the roof tiles will also become loose until they eventually get detached from the lath and slip from their usual place.
In general, preventing these problems from occurring is practically impossible. But, their frequency of occurrence can be reduced. Proper roofing repair methods and timely checkups are recommended. You have to check your roof on a frequent basis or as often as the need arises in order to find out whether the roof tiles or slates are in perfect shape or not.
How much does it cost to replace roof tiles & battens
The cost of replacing roof tiles varies depending on the area of the roof and also how easily the roofer can access it. For roofs that are difficult to access, roof tile replacement projects cost more compared to those which are easy to access. In the UK, removing roof tiles or slates costs around £100 – £160 per day if the work is carried out by an professional roofer.
In most cases, replacing clay roof tiles or slates is done with the help of an access tower as opposed to a ladder. As a matter of fact, barely any roofer would accept to work without the help of a tower. This is often due to the many risks that are associated with working with a ladder.
Access tower: Most roofers will not accept to work with a ladder and therefore, require a tower. The cost of renting an access tower ranges between £50-£150 per week.
Note: If the number of tiles which have slipped is very low, the use of a ladder may be enough and you might have to spend less.
Labor: You will also have to include the cost of labor. This is usually comes around to £60 per day.
Materials: You will also need to caclulate the cost of the materials that will be needed to replace the roof tiles such as mortar, tiles, glue, rubber etc.
If you are looking for more advice or guides on fixing leaking roofs, you can find a few videos on How to deal with leaking roofs here. However, if you do not feel confident enough on working on such as project, you should consider hiring a roofing company or contractor to the job for you.