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Roof plumbing isn’t something that most homeowners think about.
Even among the ones that do, many of them don’t realise that there are dedicated professionals whose entire job it is to look after roof plumbing!
Because of this, our roof plumbers in Melbourne are frequently called out to fix a range of different botched DIY roof plumbing jobs.
Your roof plumbing is a crucial part of your home, serving a variety of different (and often under-appreciated) functions.
A bad roof plumbing job can result in a range of issues, which is why it’s so important to get it right by calling a roof plumber to take care of it!
Your roof plumbing performs many different (and important) roles in your roof, including:
Using a system of gutters, downspouts and drains, your roof plumbing protects your home from a host of different issues that can arise from these problems… provided that your roof plumbing is well-maintained, in good condition and properly installed, that is.
A dodgy DIY job can lead to parts of your roof plumbing simply not working, jeopardising your roof and home.
While they may look flat from ground-level, most gutters are actually ever-so-slightly pitched, with a subtle angle.
After all, how is water supposed to flow down your gutters unless they have an angle to them?
Many DIY-ers make the mistake of making all of their gutters level.
Worse, some even see the slight pitch of their gutters and assume that’s a mistake, “fixing” the issue themselves!
Instead of flowing off your roof and down a drain via your gutters and downspouts, many DIY-ers who don’t account for pitch instead find that water simply builds up, creating a reservoir attached to your roof.
Your gutters need to be able to handle all of the rainwater that hits your roof, channeling it down your drains.
Naturally, a bigger roof will need wider gutters with more capacity to handle all of the rainwater that hit them.
Unfortunately, a lot of DIY-ers don’t realise this, instead just sticking to standard gutter sizes.
While for most roofs this is sufficient, there are some instances where you’ll need something a little wider or deeper.
For example, if your home has a lot of roof, you may need wider or deeper gutters and downpipes to handle the amount of rainwater it collects without overflowing.
Roof area isn’t the only way your roof can influence your roof plumbing, however…
One of the advantages of new metal roof installation is that it can be used for a much wider variety of roofing styles than other roofing types.
However, this raises some problems, especially around guttering and roof plumbing.
While a big roof increases the amount of water your gutters will have to deal with, a steep roof will have a similar effect.
With a flat roof, rainwater that hits your home trickles into your gutter as it takes its time sliding down your roof.
With a steep roof however, all of that rainwater rushes into your gutters, filling them up faster than they can drain.
If your roof is steep, you’ll need gutters and roof plumbing fixtures with higher capacity.
Unfortunately, this is something many DIY-ers overlook, resulting in roof plumbing setups that can’t handle the amount of rainwater that a steeper roof comes with.
More seams results in more points of failure, where your gutters and downpipes might split or start leaking. Really, it’s that simple!
Ideally, you’ll want long, unbroken sections of gutter and downpipe to make up the majority of your roof plumbing system.
This minimises the potential points of failure, helping your roof plumbing withstand up to the strain it’ll face as it does its job.
Unfortunately, many DIY-ers either don’t know about this, or don’t think of it as a problem.
This certainly isn’t helped by the fact that most gutters and pipes you can buy as a consumer tend to be in short lengths, almost making multiple seams necessary for DIY roof plumbing projects.
Our roof plumbers in Melbourne can buy roof plumbing fixtures cut to exactly as long as your roof needs, minimising the amount of seams and eliminating this as a potential problem.
Your gutters should be cleaned out twice a year, once at the tail end of autumn, and once right before summer kicks off.
After all, how are your gutters going to do their job if they’re jammed with leaves, dirt and debris?
Unfortunately, many homeowners either don’t realise that their gutters need cleaning or simply forget, thinking “I’ll get around to it later”.
This is a mistake – luckily, unlike the other problems we’ve talked about so far, this one is easy to fix if you have a ladder, good weather and a little bit of spare time!
It should be easy, right? Just get a drill, a couple of screws, and a ladder, and find an hour of free time. That should do it, right?
Unfortunately, gutter repairs aren’t quite that simple.
DIY gutter repairs can lead to a host of issues if you don’t know what you’re doing, such as:
These are just some of the issues that can arise if you try to do your own gutter repairs or downpipe installation.
Needless to say, any of these issues can lead to a range of avoidable problems with your roof plumbing – if only you spoke to a professional, first!
Whether it’s a routine gutter inspection or a completely new metal roof, our roof plumbers in Melbourne are here to look after your roof.
And part of that involves ensuring that your roof plumbing is up to scratch.
Gutters, downpipes and spouts play a crucial role in your home, even if they don’t get a lot of attention.
That’s why it’s so important that you get a professional to look after all parts of your roof, including your roof plumbing.
If it involves metal roofing, Thom and the team can handle it!
Keep your roof – and your roof plumbing, for that matter – strong and in good condition. Call the Watermaster team on 1300 576 075, or click here to get in touch online.
You can also visit us for a metal roofing in Melbourne: pop into our headquarters at 9/22 George St Sandringham, VIC 3191, if you prefer a more hands-on approach.
