UPVC Products
By adding modern plastic UPVC trims to your home not only can you add value to your property it can also enhance the aesthetic look giving it an uplifting modern appearance. Our qualified team of tradesmen fitters only use materials graded to the highest quality. You can choose to either have a capping board or the complete removal of all old timber trim and it replace with modern UPVC look.
Our UPVC products include:
Our UPVC products provide:
Just some of the choices available:
Looking after your home
All external woodwork to a property requires maintenance. It needs rubbing down, filling and holes or scarfing new pieces in, undercoating and glossing. All this work can be costly and very time consuming. If you ignore it and leave it you may be asking for trouble. If rot sets in onto your fascia board it can travel and migrate to the end truss roof timber bearers and main roof supporting timbers. This could seriously affect the structural integrity of your roof. Holes in your fascia board can encourage birds to move in and nest bringing other vermin with them such as mice or even rats.
With all this in mind is it really worth leaving it? Its time to think about upgrading your worn out old timber trims to your roofline and replace them with a quality assured proven weather resistant system that has a long lasting lifetime and carries a 20-year guarantee. The beauty of our products is seen once the work is all completed as you will have a maintenance free, aesthetically good look system of which you now you don’t need to worry about. All our products will not crack, warp, peel or flake, when you choose Acorn Roofing Solutions (ARS) you get piece of mind the job will be right.
UPVC Fascia’s & Soffits, Barge Boards & Guttering
All external woodwork to a property requires maintenance. It needs rubbing down, filling and holes or scarfing new pieces in, undercoating and glossing. All this work can be costly and very time consuming. If you ignore it and leave it you may be asking for trouble. If rot sets in onto your fascia board it can travel and migrate to the end truss roof timber bearers and main roof supporting timbers. This could seriously affect the structural integrity of your roof. Holes in your fascia board can encourage birds to move in and nest bringing other vermin with them such as mice or even rats.
As you know you cannot plan any outside activity when living in the UK as the weather can upset matters so quickly with its unpredictability. Constant battering from driving rain, blustery winds combined with sunny spells can have a weakening affect on anything and you home is no different. It always prudent to regularly inspect the externals of your home at least once a year, the best time is just prior to the winter months from setting in as if you notice a fault you still have time to rectify it before winter eventually hits.
It is essential you carry out regular checks to all your roofline trims such as fascia & soffit boards, bargeboards and all your rainwater goods. The main concern to look out for is damage and blockages. Ever heard the saying, "prevention is better than the cure." Meaning if you end up having to call an emergency contractor out to correct the fault it could cost you a considerable amount of your hard earned money.
Your properties fascia boards & soffit boards are not just for show on how to finish off your roofline. They play a major part in keeping the weather out from penetrating the roof so protecting the roofing rafters. If water penetration is permitted to enter the roof space and left over time the detrimental damage could be devastating. Dry rot or wet rot could set in and potentially spread penetration further into your home. Wood worm or Beetle infestation. These critters burrow inside your roofing rafters for up to 10-years undermining your complete roof structure. These things are not easy to spot from ground level nor are the extent of the damage.
When you mention maintenance to fascia boards and soffit boards the common thin to assume is just giving it a lick of paint. The problem doesn’t really become apparent until you actually get up there and closely inspect the timber to see if any rot has set in and a few repairs are necessary. If the repairs are too extensive and need replacing you will need a scaffold and usually a few professional tradesmen to carry out the works as its not really very DIY friendly.
UK blustery winds can be persistent in dislodging items, causing damage and rattling the trees, removing their leaves and throwing them everywhere causing blocked drains, downpipes and gutters. We have cleaned many gutters, downpipes and drains and the primary culprit is leaves. Once blocked if not cleared promptly water will fill the drain or downpipe and then as it’s got nowhere else to go it will run down you property leaving horrid staining. Not good if you’ve just spent out decorating the external walls with masonry paint. Excessive water anywhere will ultimately cause damage, you need to identify it and rectify it.
Many properties are still wearing their original fascia boards, soffit boards and rainwater goods as in many cases its not necessary to renew them as they are manufactured to last a long time. Sometime people like to renew these trims for a change of aesthetic look such as back Half Round guttering being changed to White Square. Like everything though they will ne maintenance from time to time. If your home still is wearing the original trims then is a good bet that the material its made from is wood. If the wood is not kept protected at all times by a coat of varnish or paint water will penetrate it causing the wood to splinter, spilt and crack resulting in warping and rot setting in.
By renewing all your external trims in UPVC alternatives will eliminate all these problems we have been talking about. They are proven to be long term cost effective, require very little maintenance, are considerably durable being confident to withstand harsh winters and deliver piece of mind for many years. They are available in a variety of colour choices to complement every different design property out there providing clean lines to a new roofline. They can be colour-matched exactly to suit your windows and doors. Most soffits can incorporate a grill ventilation system so as to maintain the correct airflow circulation inside your roof space preventing condensation and damp from setting in.
Whether your home is 200-years old barn or a new build, there is a method out there to offer you maintenance free, piece of mind solution to fir your requirements and budget. If you are thinking about attempting this yourself we only ask that you take care and take precautions. Have a scaffold erected by a reputable firm and think about wearing a harness. Don’t take risks when working at height.
We are UPVC replacement & repair specialists
Here at Plymouth Roofing Solutions offer a full UPVC trim replacement & repair service. If you have a problem with a leak from defective roofline trim or gutter or are interested in booking a survey for any of our services or just a roof safety check, please contact Plymouth Roofing Solutions and a member of our team will be happy to help or advise you.
Plymouth Roofing Solutions can carry out any form of UPVC trim work repair or replacement from industrial building in the commercial sector to all forms of flashings and lead trays in the private domestic sector. We also cater for defective lead to listed historic building churches and cathedrals. No matter what the problem is Plymouth Roofing Solutions will get it sorted.
On request we will pop round and see you for an informal chat and survey your UPVC problems. All our staff is courteous and polite providing a reliable, prompt service. We basically turn up when we say we are going to. We will carry out the works with minimal disruption to you and your day-to-day family life and respect your home whilst the work is being carried out. Our skilled tradesmen technicians are highly experiences in all aspects of UPVC and rainwater goods. You get a service from us second to none.
Remedial Unblocking Works to Rainwater Goods
We have been out and cleared many gutters in our time and it is unbelievable the items we turf out a gutter such as twigs, soil, tennis balls, leaves, dead birds and baby birds. When soil gets lodged into the gutter its not long before plant vegetation growth germinates and when you look up from ground level you see your oven little garden of grass and weeds growing from your guttering.
As this debris needs digging out with a trowel it’s sometimes easier just to unclip the guttering, take it down and thoroughly clean it out before re-fixing it back. If any joints are noted to be leaking they can easily be either replaced with new unions, stop ends etc. or repaired by renewing the rubber seals. All work can be performed from a suitable ladder. There is a brush on the market now called a hedgehog. It is manufactured in 4-meter lengths and just sits inside your guttering. It prevents leaves and debris from filling up your guttering but lets water pass freely.
Pre-cast iron guttering is a lot more difficult to work on especially if the bolted joints are rusted together making it hard to release the bolt. They are easily cleaned using a wire brush and you should always coat the guttering with a generous coat of rust inhibitor and a coat of metal paint. Once dry it can be fitted back ensuring sealant is place within the bolted joints to seal it ensuring no leakage.
If your guttering is sagging in the center and is overflowing in the same area due to having no fall it usually means you have a problem with the clips. Check the amount of clips that are in place. The clips are screwed into the fascia board and should be placed at one-meter centers apart from each other. If you have the correct number of clips in place but they have pulled out from the timber it may be due to your timber fascia board being rotten. If this is the case then the fascia board will need addressing first before the guttering is replaced.
When the guttering is finally replaced it’s a good idea to set the fall again to ensure the water flows freely away. The fall is usually 1:40 sloping with no sagging to the closest running outlet. An adjustment to the brackets while the guttering is in place is possible but not effective or recommended. Its much easier just to remove the guttering and replace or renew it once your brackets are set. When fixing guttering on a semi-detached or terraced property the guttering to either side could be different to what you are fitting. You must ensure that the correct union couplers are used to ensure it seal watertight.
Downpipes
Downpipes can also block up from dirt, leaves and debris running from the guttering into the downpipe. It can lodge in the swan neck off sets and only let a small amount of water to seep through resulting in a guttering overflow. Other reasons could be down to a design fault. Older properties have less downpipes taking the access water away so cannot cope with the demand of water in bad stormy conditions. In general it should be 3 small terraced houses to two downpipes. All downpipes discharge their water at the bottom into a soak away or gully. Another possibility to increase the volume of flow capacity would be to fit deep flow guttering.
Leaking Gutter Symptoms include:
Reason why a downpipe leaks:
Downpipe Remedial Works
When a downpipe becomes blocked the gully below the downpipe needs to be covered to ensure not debris from the blockage enters the gully. Once this is done it is possible to clear it by means of a solid wire or long pole rammed down the end of the pipe to clear the blockage.
If the downpipe does not discharge above the gully but run directly into the drain beneath there should be a rodding eye to clear the gully once the downpipe is clear. Another method would be to remove the downpipe completely and clear it while it lays on the ground or renew it. Any cracked or broken downpipes should be immediately replaced. This can be a simple job by simply unscrewing the downpipe clips and removing the pipe. It is fairly DIY friendly.
Signs & Symptoms of a Leak:
Results of downpipe leakages
Downpipes should always discharge into a gully or a drain. Some downpipes discharge on the ground directly next to the property. Without a suitable soak away in the ground then damp issues on the ground can and will occur. As time passes the ground will become saturated and marshy. It will eventually affect the wall supports and property foundation causing subsidence if left and not treated. Damp will climb up the external wall and it is often incorrectly diagnosed as rising damp. People then spend a fortune on unnecessary damp treatments by injecting the walls and such when the true cause of the problem is a much simpler diagnosis and right in front of their nose.
Remedial Works Required
If you notice that your downpipe discharges directly onto the ground and your ground is a bit boggy then you should immediately look into diverting the water away from the property preferably into an underground surface gully drain or if one is not available then it needs to be directed into a soak away. This action will prevent the main external walls from becoming damp. If the downpipe runs into a gully but the water is splashing against the side of the house try fitting a downpipe she to accurately direct the falling water into the gully.
Always keep your gully clear of leaves and debris to prevent ponding of the water around the gully. Keep grating over the gully and regularly check them form time to time. Blockages can be cleared by the use of a high-powered water jet or even by pouring some Caustic Soda down to break up the blockage. Even just removing leaves from the gully grating may solve a simple blockage problem. Most gullies have a rodding eye and are protected with a protective cover.
As time passes your roof gets older and as with everything in life problems occur:
So whom can you trust to put these defects right?
Only too many times have I seen poor workmanship and incorrect installations from bad advice. Be certain you have the correct advice and information from an approved contractor so as your roof gets the attention it needs at the right price.
Here at Plymouth Roofing Solutions can help you on any roof related item from a slipped slate to a full complex roof or new build you can count on us to assist you with professional unbiased advice to get you on the right track. Our surveys and staff have gained their knowledge and knowhow from being in the industry for over 20 years and their experience is second to none. What we quote is what you pay, nothing more.
Please feel free to contact us for further advice
If you are interested in booking a survey for any of our services or just a roof safety check, please contact Plymouth Roofing Solutions on 01752 201077 and a member of our team will be happy to help or advise you.
We will make an appointment and one of our surveyors will come to see you, survey the project, have a chat, and give you some free advice. Our team is dedicated in listening to what you have to say and accommodating your every need. We will advise you on what we think would be best and never recommend doing any more than is required or necessary. We also we attempt a solution that stays within a budget that you may have.
Our professional team of qualified tradesmen carries out their work to the highest standard causing you as minimal disruption as possible to your day-to-day life and always leaves the job clean and tidy on a daily basis. We have public liability insurance of £10 million pounds that can be viewed on request. We have skilled tradesmen in all forms of carpentry, roofing, lead work, and lead welding.
