When it comes to guttering or roof issues, most of us don’t think of plumbers. But in NSW, you need a plumbing license for performing any sort of plumbing or drainage work – roof plumbing comes under this.

Plumbers Direct offers roof plumbing services for our clients right across Sydney.

Do you know what a roof plumber does, and why you need one.

What is roof plumbing?

Roof plumbing, often referred to as storm water plumbing, refers to any work involving roof flashing or covering, any part of a drainage system that collects or disposes of storm water, or any connection of storm water pipes to rain water tanks. It also involves connection of storm water downpipes to your drainage disposal point.

Essentially, all plumbing work associated with roofs, gutters, and down pipes come under ‘roof plumbing’. However, the roof coverings themselves, made of concrete, non-metallic tiles, timber etc. are installed and repaired by roofers, and do not come under the term ‘roof plumbing’.

So when do you need one?

During the process of construction of a new house, you may need a roof plumber for a variety of jobs, including:

• Design and installation of roof drainage systems.
• Measurement, fabrication and installation of gutters, downpipes and storm water disposal systems.
• Construction of roof flashing, ductwork joints, angled gutters and stop ends.
• Installation of rain water tanks and other collection devices.
• Termination of building storm water drains at street kerb or storm water drainage system.

Gutters and downpipes maintenance and repair

In addition to new construction work, roof plumbers are also needed for maintenance and repair work involving storm water and gutters. Gutters and down pipes are designed so that rain water from your roof is properly drained away from the building structure and immediate surroundings.

Any water finding its way down the building foundation could cause serious harm including:

• Roof leaks,
• Foundation and property erosion, and
• Mould and mildew problems.

For this reason, proper gutter cleaning, repairing, fitting gutter guards and installing mesh coverings to prevent accumulation of leaves and other debris in gutters become very important. Fixing leaks or blockage in storm water down pipes is also the responsibility of plumbers.

Rainwater tank installation and maintenance

Installing a rain water tank is a sustainable plumbing practice that reduces wastage of our precious water resources. Depending on your requirements, harvested rain water can be used for watering garden plants, or be connected to your house plumbing and used for laundry and in toilets for flushing.

Designing a rain water harvesting system requires deciding upon a suitable tank size, fitting your gutters and down pipes with leaf guards, and adding tank screens and flap valves to keep out insects and provide sufficient vents. Most rain water collection systems also use first-flush diverters to prevent the initial ‘dirty’ water from entering your collection tank.

If you are connecting your rain water system to your mains, you might also need backflow prevention devices, as regulated by Sydney Water. Correct installation and use of rain water systems can reduce your water bills by as much as 70%, and also help to keep your garden or lawn alive even during water restriction periods.

Fixing roof leaks

Roof leaks can be very expensive if not caught in time. If your roof leak is caused due to gutter blocks or improper storm water drainage, your roof plumber is the person to call. Preventive maintenance is the best way to avoid roof leaks with seasonal roof and gutter cleaning an essential step.

During this time, you can also ask them to do minor repairs and maintenance and perform an inspection to detect any potential plumbing problems.

Roof flashing repairs

Roof flashing is used to prevent water from entering the roof structure by creating a weather barrier. These are used around chimneys, skylights or other roof penetrations to make it watertight. If flashing is not installed properly, it causes leaks and also might result in damage to your tiles. Repair of improper installation of flashing or flashing leaks also come under roof plumbing.

Don’t do it yourself

Undertaking roof plumbing jobs yourself is not only against NSW regulations, but is also incredibly dangerous. You need sufficient manual dexterity, very good balance, and strength to set up scaffolding or move ladders.

Engaging a licensed and qualified roof plumber to do your roofing jobs ensures that you get the results you want. In fact, we sometimes find that minor roof problems go unnoticed or ignored due to the difficulty in accessing the roofs. And often, this results in emergencies that require expensive repairs.

Correct installation, preventive inspections and timely maintenance helps prevent all roofing problems and help keep your house weatherproof.

Our team at Plumbers Direct is experienced with all sorts of roof plumbing jobs including gutter cleaning and repairs, rainwater tank installation and more. If you live in Sydney call us on 1300 877 448 and leave your roof plumbing to the experts at Plumbers Direct.