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Do I repair the roof myself?


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My tiled roof needs some work, the is a lot of moss and the "ridge tiles" look as if they need refixing. Problem is I've never done a roof.

The are no broken tiles and it's not that high, well half of it's an extension.

What do ya think?

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Tiles may not be nailed depending on age - you may find you can push one or two up and then walk up the holes. 
 

Verges will be nailed, last couple of rows before the ridge should be too. Worth changing to a dry fit ridge system if you’re doing a roof as they are more secure than cementing them on.  

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+1 for dry ridge.

 

If the roof is fairly old, and the tiles are concrete, be very careful walking on them as they will be quite brittle and could crack, so make sure you've a few spares knocking about to replace any which go. I always try and walk on the joints, as theres a bit more thickness of tile to support my weight.

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37 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

They look like Eternit composite slate.  Not my favourite but quite cheap and they last OK.


Yea but do the break if you walk on them. To be honest I'm thinking get up on the extension only and then blast off the moss with a pressure water (making sure I down go under the tiles). The cement in the ridge? tiles and fix the flashing. If do that I can get a roofer to do the high roof and fix the chimney pointing etc.

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You could mix some copper sulphate up and using a pump sprayer cover the roof and let it work away for as week then use a garden hose and rinse it of.

Once you have the moss removed then you will be able to see what exactly needs done without you needing to get into the roof.

Don't power hose the tiles, it will cause more damage to the surface of the tile.

The patch job along your flashing will need to be removed and done right.

How are you at heights???

Can you hire a roof ladder if your not the best???

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2 hours ago, Declan52 said:

You could mix some copper sulphate up and using a pump sprayer cover the roof and let it work away for as week then use a garden hose and rinse it of.

Once you have the moss removed then you will be able to see what exactly needs done without you needing to get into the roof.

Don't power hose the tiles, it will cause more damage to the surface of the tile.

The patch job along your flashing will need to be removed and done right.

How are you at heights???

Can you hire a roof ladder if your not the best???


I tend to think I'm scared of heights more than I am, as a kid I would to climb out of our attic  skylight and sit on the roof of a 3 story terrace.
How good is the copper sulphate?
I think I'll have to have a go because when it's repaired I aim to put some solar panels up, it's just fear really. Perhaps I could hire some scaffolding.

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10 hours ago, Delicatedave said:

I think I'll have to have a go because when it's repaired I aim to put some solar panels up, it's just fear really. Perhaps I could hire some scaffolding.

Yes, scaffolding is quite important when working on roofs, it catches you a gutter height when you fall down.

Have you looked at integrating the PV into the roof?  Saves on tiles, but if the roof is basically sound, easier to just bolt though the tiles with a normal rail system.

 

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There is a lot about different methods on this thread:

 

 

Depending on the roof .. material, amount of moss and height ... I have in the past used a 3 stage extending-broom, a window cleaning pole with brush, or copper sulphate solution using a £1 kiddy super soaker from the pound shop.

 

The super soaker can reach about 6m up ... surprising. if I get one for clean water I can harass cats throughout the garden from the doorstep.

 

I did half my roof with copper sulphate last summer, but cannot judge the impact over time until the snow clears.

 

If you are looking at solar panels, then I would say take a serious look at replacing that section of the roof as once they are on you will not want to touch it for 25 years. Look at an in roof system.

 

Personally. I pay people to do roofs .. I go as far as cleaning gutters.

 

Ferdinand

Edited by Ferdinand
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2 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Yes, scaffolding is quite important when working on roofs, it catches you a gutter height when you fall down.

Have you looked at integrating the PV into the roof?  Saves on tiles, but if the roof is basically sound, easier to just bolt though the tiles with a normal rail system.

 

The way the extention roof is orientated we could put supporting struts on the walls for the panels with no need to touch the roof at all. It would just look like a glass roof ?

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22 hours ago, Delicatedave said:


I tend to think I'm scared of heights more than I am, as a kid I would to climb out of our attic  skylight and sit on the roof of a 3 story terrace.

most of us when younger would walk along a ridge or across unbraced joists and not think anything of it, however, as you get older and wiser you realise how much it would hurt if you fall and become a little more circumspect.

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