Your roof system may not receive as much notice, but its role is no less vital in safeguarding against water damage, mitigating mould and mildew growth and protecting your electrical network.
Roof plumbers specialize in roofing systems such as guttering, downpipes, rainwater tanks and flashing. But what exactly does that mean?
Drainage
When we think of plumbing, we tend to envision pipes transporting water between your toilets, showers, sinks and other appliances in your home. But roof plumbing requires special skills; therefore, roof plumbers require additional training than their counterparts.
Roof plumbers play an integral part in creating the appropriate drainage system for a building, such as installing guttering, downpipes and drains to ensure its waterproofing. Furthermore, roof plumbers may install rainwater tanks to reduce dependence on mains water supply and save money.
If a drainage system is not functioning as intended, it could cause flooding and cause extensive damage to a building. With the appropriate system in place, soil erosion can be avoided while protecting foundations of buildings – this also increases resale value due to buyers being increasingly concerned with environmental sustainability.
An efficient drainage system not only protects electrical systems but also the indoor environment by keeping water out of electrical circuits, thus mitigating mould and mildew growth and improving indoor air quality. If something goes wrong with this system, water could come into contact with electricity and cause short circuiting – creating hazardous situations where electrical shorts occur.
Vents
Pipes and vents protruding from roofs may seem unsightly to some people, but they actually serve an important function: they regulate air pressure, move waste and water out of systems and keep them functioning effectively.
Plumbing air vents help ensure that liquid waste does not back up into sinks or bathtubs, while sewer vents allow odors to escape outside. Clogs in either of these vents can adversely impact indoor air quality and cause foul smells to pervade a home’s interior environment.
Vents are usually connected to drainage pipes in the walls and lead to either a sewage pipe that leads to either a septic tank or local sewer system, thus making plumbers’ roles essential in making sure these pipes are installed, maintained, and functioning as intended.
Vents you might find on roofs include those for hot water tanks, solar heating, or fans. It is essential that these vents be properly maintained as their flashing may leak if it has not been properly installed or replaced.
If your drains aren’t draining quickly or have unpleasant odors, the problem could lie with the vent stack. Use a pipe snake or garden hose to loosen any debris blocking flow; but if this fails to solve the problem, contact a plumber who specialises in clearing blocked plumbing vent pipes for professional help.
Gutters
Roof plumbing refers to all the pipes and gutters used to manage rainwater around your home, such as gutters and downpipes which channel rainwater off of your roof (or into a rainwater tank), flashings which seal gaps between your walls and your roof, and flashings which seal gaps between them both.
Gutter (also called an eavestrough) is a half pipe installed along the edge of your home’s roof to collect rainwater and direct it away from its foundation, helping prevent soil erosion and flooding issues – including basement flooding issues.
Downpipes are vertical pipes used to transport rainwater from gutters to ground level for disposal or use in your garden. Most often they’re placed into municipal drainage channels, or far enough from home so as not to compromise foundation integrity. Rainwater barrels may also be installed for use as rainwater storage options.
Gutters and downpipes are essential parts of your home’s drainage system, helping rainwater move efficiently away from its source and away from foundation areas, potentially causing serious structural issues with your home. To make sure they’re performing optimally, it is a good idea to clean your gutters at least annually by unplugging them from their respective downpipes, clearing away debris, and flushing it through with a garden hosepipe.
Flashing
Flashing is one of the cornerstones of roof plumbing, acting as an impervious barrier against water intrusion in vulnerable areas on a roof, such as where two sections meet or where protrusions like chimneys or skylights protrude; flashing can even help conceal gaps around doors and windows.
Flashings are typically constructed of aluminium or copper and used to secure roof edges where they meet walls or other structures. Gutter systems may also use flashings as gutters can be customized to match their profile of either roof or wall, providing seamless installation of gutters as well.
Installing and maintaining an efficient roof plumbing system is essential to protecting a building from leaks and water damage, while minimising maintenance costs over time. Furthermore, an effective roofing plumbing system can lower water bills while simultaneously decreasing environmental impacts by reducing rainwater extraction requirements from mains systems – further decreasing their environmental footprint.
Though both terms ‘plumbing’ and ‘roof plumbing’ may be used interchangeably, regular plumbers lack the expertise or training needed to address roofing issues effectively. Therefore, it is wiser to work exclusively with specialist roof plumbers; these experts possess both knowledge and training to effectively maintain and repair various roofing materials such as gutters, downpipes, flashings etc.
