Month: September 2021

1. Pigeons

Lots of us like to feed the birds but spare a thought for the poor neighbours of one US pigeon fan. He fed the local birds so often and lavishly, that around 200 pigeons regularly camped out on his roof. This was good news for his local roofing contractors, however, who were called out twice in one year to replace damaged and broken slates.

2. Drones

One homeowner found a drone on his roof and managed to trace the owner by looking at the images on the onboard camera. Meanwhile over in Japan, traces of radioactive material were found on a drone on the Prime Minister’s roof a few years ago. It was believed to have been landed by someone with a grudge against his policies at the time, although nobody was ever charged. Radioactive substances aside, drones have the potential to cause severe damage to roofs, particularly if blown off course by winds.

3. Thieves

Police found a bunch of thieves on a roof in Louisiana, all of whom were industriously removing the roofing materials and claiming the money back at the local hardware store. When staff at the store became suspicious, the police intervened and found the thieves somewhere more suitable to spend their time!

4. Safe

Owners of a house in the US came across a locked safe on their roof. Hidden from view from the ground, the safe was believed to have been put there by the previous owners, who forgot about it when they moved. Although undamaged – and even found to contain some semi-precious stones – the safe itself had the potential to cause severe damage to the roof, not least due to its size and weight.

5. Fish

You wouldn’t usually expect to find fish on a rooftop, but freak weather conditions have been known to have unexpected consequences! Koi carp and catfish have both been found on rooftops, presumably lifted up by freak storms. While fish are unlikely to cause much in the way of damage to a roof, the fact they were there at all will have led to a thorough inspection for any other storm damage at the same time.

Have you ever found weird items on your clients’ roofing systems? It’s always worth reminding your clients to check their rooftops regularly to reduce the risk of any avoidable damage caused by debris, which needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

Our GIROSIL® Coating Products offer total protection for cut-edge roofing systems and gutters. BBA Approved and guaranteed for up to 20 years (roof coating) and 15 years for Edge and Gutter coatings, GIROSIL® products can be sprayed directly from the tin and include high impact and dirt resistance.

Please speak to the Giromax team if you need advice on products for repairing rooftops and gutters. Call 01455 558969 today or make an enquiry.

Sustainable building materials

Precast concrete is rapidly becoming one of the most popular modern construction materials, thanks to its outstanding green credentials. With a very low water to cement ratio, precast concrete is incredibly durable, recyclable and environmentally friendly. But it’s certainly not the only option. Prefabricated panels and modular construction methods are greener and more cost-effective than traditional building methods, making it easier than ever to create ecologically sound warehouses and industrial units.

For existing buildings, even something as seemingly simple as improving insulation will have an immediate impact on overall running costs. For example, applying heat reduction film to office windows can help to lower the amount of energy used, resulting in savings for you or your client and less pollution for the planet.

Reducing running costs

Good quality lighting, ventilation and a comfortable working temperature all lead to a happy workforce, which is likely to improve your productivity levels. An increase in operational efficiency with a corresponding decrease in energy consumption is a big positive!

Natural light is the most desirable – not to mention cost-effective – option, but where this isn’t practical, smart lighting offers an environmentally friendly alternative. Sensors detect when someone is approaching, ensuring lights switch on and off intuitively. Other green initiatives being adopted by building developers include solar panels on the roof, heat pumps for renewable energy-based heating, and even rainwater collection for flushing the toilets.

Extra protection for the roof

The industrial roof bears the brunt of our increasingly extreme weather events, whether this is searing heat, biting cold, gale-force winds or torrential rainfall.

Flat roofs come with problems of their own, such as ponding water, which can lead to catastrophic damage if not tackled immediately. Cut-edge corrosion is another issue which can lead to unexpected and unwanted expense if not addressed as a matter of urgency.

If you’re a surveyor, climate change is likely to result in more costs for your client in the future, unless they take action today to protect their buildings and roof systems. It’s clear there’s a pressing need for robust, weather-proof coatings which can withstand everything the British weather can possibly throw at them. High-quality roof coatings can help to protect against weather damage caused by climate change and any escalating overheads.

Don’t forget that our GIROSIL® Coating Products are BBA Approved and can offer your clients up to 20 years’ protection for roofing systems. Our single coat system delivers market-leading performance, choice and reliability in the treatment of cut-edge corrosion.

Please speak to the Giromax team if you need advice on any of our product range. Call 01455 558969 today or make an enquiry.