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Roofline is the industry term used to describe the fascia, soffit, guttering, and bargeboards that encapsulate the eaves of buildings and supports the rainwater system.
Yes, roofs need ventilation. It is important because excess moisture and condensation can have detrimental effects on a building, causing dampness, mould, and mildew as well as structural damage.
Exterior cladding materials being fire retardant is a consideration to be had for its location. In some cases, it needs to be selected with safety and non-combustibility in mind
No, fibre cement cladding does not need treating like wood cladding does, fibre cement cladding colouring has a 10-year colour-guarantee and is water resistant, and does not rot, warp, or crack.
No you do not need to provide us with access equipment, DMD can take care of this for you by using the appropriate access equipment, whether this be Easi-Decs or scaffolding.
Whilst ladders and stepladders are not banned under health and safety law. The law calls for a sensible approach to managing risk, and ladders can be a sensible and practical option for low-risk, short-duration tasks, but they should not automatically be your first choice. Given our line of work is not a short-duration task, we need to access your property safely using adequate access equipment.
There is one major difference between PVC and uPVC. PVC contains BPA and phthalates – two plasticisers that make it more flexible. The two plastics feel and look the same, but their chemical makeup and potential applications are different.
The most important things to consider are the pitch of your roof, whether you need planning permission, and the weight of the roof you’d like installed, as the structural support required will depend on what material you would like to use.
Fascia is traditionally softwood boards, affixed to the exposed edges of your rafters, however, this has been replaced with high-grade uPVC as softwood tends to rot. The purpose of a fascia is to protect and seal the eaves of the roof and the interior of your home from exposure to the elements, to support roof tiles at an eaves level, and to provide support for the guttering. Fascia also serves a cosmetic purpose and is much nicer to look at than exposed rafters.
A soffit is a covering that sits between the outer edges of your roof and the adjacent wall of the house, protecting and sealing the rafter feet from the harsh outer environment. If your roof has a soffit, you will be able to see it if you stand underneath the overhang of your roof and look up.
Modern soffits are usually made of uPVC. UPVC soffits and fascias are hard-wearing and handle exposure to moisture. Wooden soffits are a popular rustic or period feature, but they are more likely to rot and decay quickly, threatening the rest of the roof structure.
Guttering is used to collect rainwater from the roof and direct the flow of water as it drains. Gutters catch the water and direct it into the downpipes, and towards a drain. Guttering is fixed with the appropriate “fall” to prevent the water from pooling in places that it should not, which could eventually lead to your gutters overflowing, which is then likely to cause other problems.
This high-quality material requires little to no input after installation for it to perform throughout the years and still look great. One of the biggest benefits of fibre cement board is that it is low maintenance and can last for up to 50 years.
The fibre cement cladding we install comes painted and have a colour-fast guarantee. But every raw edge exposed to the elements needs to be painted to ensure it is kept within the manufacturer's fitting guidelines
Providing it is installed correctly, allowing for the required ventilation of the product, fibre cement cladding doesn’t crack, swell, or warp like wood. The product offers up to three times more dimensional stability than wood.
Meet The Trainer: Chris Cato
With 22 years of experience working in the asbestos industry and 5 years being a First Aid Trainer, DMD’s SHEQ Director Chris Cato is our in-house trainer who provides our highly accredited training courses.
Chris’ qualifications include Level 3 Award in Education & Training, NEBOSH, Level 4 Diploma in Licensed Asbestos Removal, UKATA Approved Trainer, First Aid Industry Body Approved Trainer, Level 3 in First Aid at Work, Trained to Face Fit, EasiDec Train the Trainer, TETRA Approved Train the Trainer and Mental Health First Aider.
Alongside Chris’ qualifications Chris undertakes training courses with attendees in mind, ensuring the content is understood and they leave the course feeling confident and competent.
If you’d like to book onto a course with DMD Installations, simply fill in our contact form with your requirements for us to book you onto a course, or create a bespoke training day and upon completion of the course, receive your certificate of training.
Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring silicate minerals. The types of asbestos include chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. Asbestos types are categorized into two families: serpentine and amphibole, which indicate their fibre shape.
These differing types of asbestos can be found in many common materials used in the building trade and most should only be worked on by a licensed contractor.
Asbestos is considered a highly dangerous substance when fibres are made airborne and breathed in. If mishandled, it can lead to asbestos exposure. Individuals exposed to asbestos may develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. This is why the utmost care is taken by our specialist team to remove asbestos safely and efficiently.
Asbestos can be found in many of the common materials used in the building trade and many of these materials should only be worked on by a licensed contractor:
Asbestos can be challenging to identify, particularly when it is incorporated with other materials. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) diagrams page is a useful source that highlights several common asbestoses containing materials which you can familiarise yourself with.
Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000. The areas which are most typical for asbestos to be found within a property include:
When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. When these fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious diseases which take a long time to develop. However, when diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything, which is why it is critical to protect yourself now and use a professional, licensed contractor.
Asbestos can cause the following fatal and serious diseases; mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural thickening.
A professional asbestos survey details and identifies where asbestos is present, as well as the type of asbestos to help manage and control the risks of asbestos-containing materials within any property, residential or commercial. The process will typically involve taking a sample for analysis and this should only be actioned by a competent asbestos surveyor.
Duty holders need to check that any contractors, like DMD Installations who are likely to disturb asbestos are trained and competent for that work. Licensed contractors must be used for most work with asbestos insulation, AIB, and asbestos coatings.
Those responsible for managing asbestos on the premises have a key role in briefing contractors. They should ensure that contractors are provided with all recorded information on the location and condition of ACMs.
Many schools, built before 2000, will contain some form of asbestos. Asbestos-containing materials include:
Anyone who has responsibility for the maintenance and/or repair of non-domestic premises, including schools, is a 'duty holder' as defined in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. For most schools, the duty holder will be the employer.