October 2018

Concrete Tiles
CONCRETE BENEFITS, RAIN OR SHINE
With winter fast approaching, now is the time for pitched roofing contractors to carefully
consider ever-changing weather patterns. Mark Parsons, Technical Director at Russell Roof
Tiles, offers his advice on how the industry can avoid weather woes through the right
specification and roofing solution.
2018 has been a year of bi-polar weather,
with violent storms and wet weather a
regular occurrence in Spring, followed by
record breaking Summer temperatures.
Icy chills and heavy snow gripped the country in
February and continued well into March, which
proved to be some of the UK’s harshest weather
to date. Various weather warnings and dangers to
life were issued, and then Storm Hector hit the
country in June alongside winds of up to 100mph.
The summer months brought torrential
downpours and gales, following the intense
heatwave and record-breaking temperatures.
No room for substandard roofing
With the rise in extreme weather expected to
continue throughout winter, there is no longer
room for substandard pitched roofing. This is
because strong winds have the ability to loosen
roof edge details and ultimately disrupt the roof
system and this leads to defects in roofs – such
as leaks – which are often hard to pinpoint once
the roof is complete.
“Legislation has
already taken into
consideration the
changing weather
patterns”
Legislation has already taken into consideration
the changing weather patterns. For instance, the
British Standard for Slating and Tiling BS 5534
was revised to recognise the rise in extreme
weather in the UK aligning the British standards
with European standards. However, it is just as
important that contractors also
design-out potential issues by the
correct specification and
products used, ensuring the roof
is as stable and watertight as
possible.
Contractors also need to consider that
harsh weather can cause severe delays to
projects as working at height can be dangerous,
especially if there are strong winds.
“With the rise in
extreme weather
expected to continue
throughout winter,
there is no longer room
for substandard
pitched roofing”
Concrete tiles are often a popular solution as the
product provides a quick, yet cost-effective
solution when time is of the essence, as well as
being sustainable. Thinner leading-edge tiles, in
particular, are two thirds the thickness of a
normal concrete tile, and this means the product
is easier to handle and has an interlocking design
that can be fixed quickly and efficiently. This
helps to speed up the installation process before
the weather delays the construction process any
further.
Therefore, it no surprise that concrete, which is
also highly sustainable, now accounts for around
60% of the roofing tile market and is still
continuing to grow in popularity. Concrete tiles
can also replicate many indigenous different
regional materials, such as clay, slate or stone
Left: Mark Parsons, Technical Director at
Russell Roof Tiles.
and have a very visuallypleasing
appearance once
installed.
Once laid as part of a roof system,
concrete roof tiles assist in controlling
and retaining heat which keeps the inhabitants’
environment stay stable and warm. As a result,
I’d say concrete is pivotal in helping homes to be
more energy efficient – something that is
becoming more important to both inhabitants and
contractors to help them reach housing and
building standards set out by the Government.
Robust and long-lasting
By taking into consideration different weather
patterns, trends and the location from the start of
any project, contractors are in a stronger position
to ensure roofs are robust and long-lasting
despite the harsh weather conditions.
As manufacturers, at Russell Roof Tiles we work
closely with the contractor to ensure that they
have the best fixing specification and that all
the necessary factors have been taken into
consideration, from changing weather overtime
to how the location is affected by winds, rain
and gusts. This allows us to offer the assurance
of a guaranteed RussSpec – a 15-year
guarantee incorporating our whole roof
solutions.
Contact Russell Roof Tiles
01283 517070
www.russellrooftiles.com
@russellrooftile
28 TC OCTOBER 2018