6 Wintertime Roof Maintenance Tips

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Winter can be taxing on all of us, our homes included. You may notice extra wear and tear on your roof over the winter months. The harsh conditions can make your roof deteriorate faster than usual so ensuring you stay on top of maintenance is important to keep your roof in good condition. 

Wet weather means your roof may be more prone to leaking. Snow can also cause this so making sure your roof is properly sealed and leak-proof before the rain sets in can help prevent them before they happen. 

Heavy snow can also put additional stress on weaker spots of your roof so removing snow before it builds up may be a good idea to prevent any damage.

Similarly to pavements and roads, when water enters cracks in a roof and then freezes and expands, it can worsen existing damage so it is a good idea to have your roof checked and maintained year-round in preparation for the winter. 

High winds and storms are also prone to happen during the colder months which can cause damage to your roof. Making sure the roof is clear from debris, fixing any existing wind damage and replacing missing or broken roof tiles can help prevent leaks, mold and holes from occurring. 

Even if you take the proper precautions and maintain your roof well, you may find that the wintertime causes damage anyway. You should aim to repair this as soon as possible regardless of severity to ensure that it doesn’t worsen or cause additional issues for you. 

You may want to arrange a professional roof inspection to check for any issues and fix them. While some people may be able to perform maintenance tasks themselves, others may feel more comfortable leaving these jobs in the hands of professionals so they can have peace of mind knowing their roof is winter ready and their home is protected. 


For roof repairs in Wolverhampton, get in touch with Meyrick Builders and Roofers today!

How Home Extensions Can Boost Your Property’s Value

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There are many reasons for having a home extension, from the practical benefits of having another bedroom, extra storage space or a larger kitchen to the additional value it may give a property.

Many people could be seeking house extensions in the West Midlands for either reason, but in the latter case this may be particularly relevant in bolstering property values over the next couple of years.

While the government’s response to the current economic difficulties has undergone a major U-turn, the fact remains that even before the recent turbulent events in the corridors of power the Bank of England was predicting a recession.

All that could bring an end to the recent house price boom, especially with the Bank also expected to raise the base rate further. 

Rightmove recorded that asking prices for homes rose again to a new record of £371,158 in October, but demand fell by 15 per cent, suggesting the tightening mortgage market caused by numerous product withdrawals will stop the market from defying gravity for much longer.  

Householders keen on exploring ways to maintain their property values may find that is exactly what an extension can do. 

According to the Extension Prices website, the biggest increase in value could be 21 per cent for loft conversions, although it can be as little as 12.5 per cent. A garage conversion can be worth up to 20 per cent in an urban area, while conservatories added 5-15 per cent. At the other end of the scale, a larger kitchen only adds four per cent on average.

Of course, the very occasional extension project can bring some unexpected benefits. A couple from Ellerby in North Yorkshire recently pocketed £750,000 after an auction of a collection of gold coins they discovered during a renovation of their kitchen.

The oldest of the coins was 292 years old, meaning that by just eight years they were not old enough to be classed as treasure, which would have made them the property of the crown. The hoard, once belonging to merchants from Hull, thus passed to the couple. 

Unique Ways To Make Your Roof More Eco-Friendly

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A growing number of people have become interested in ways that they can either build, extend or modify their homes in ways that can make them more environmentally friendly.

Most of the best ways to reduce the carbon footprint of a home are somewhat mundane; improve airtightness and insulation to use less energy during the winter and summer months with the help of builders in Wolverhampton, replace your boiler with an energy-efficient model, rewild your garden and use energy saving light bulbs.

However, there are also more elaborate solutions that allow a homeowner to build a natural harmonious paradise that feels at one with nature and can have some considerable added benefits as well.

One of the most notable of these is the green roof or living roof, where a layer of soil is laid onto the top of a roof and plants, flowers and grass grow on top of this. Exactly what you can grow depends on how deep this soil layer is, which itself depends on the structural rigidity of your existing roof.

It can be used to grow grass, flowers and in some cases even trees, although always check with a roof specialist before making dramatic alterations to your roof.

There are several key benefits from an environmental standpoint, with green roofs helping to create wildlife bridges that allow for more diverse habitats for plants and animals, improve air quality and help to reduce the release of carbon dioxide from buildings.

However, there are several practical benefits that make a green roof worth considering even for those without green fingers.

Because soil and plants absorb water, there is far less strain on your drainage system, leading to fewer issues during heavy rainfall.

As well as this, a green roof helps to avoid intense heat associated with the heat island effect and generally improves the insulation in a home allowing less heat in and less heat out.