By Erol Tanir Roofing 0 Comments

St John’s Church

St John’s historic (GRADE 1 LISTED) Church, in Bromsgrove, has had a new roof made from fibreglass because thieves kept stealing the lead – a shocking seven times in just six months. A sad reflection of today’s society but one that is common especially on ancient buildings where there is limited occupation of the building each week. Fibreglass was chosen to ensure the building’s long-term future especially as the existence of this building dates back to the 11th Century. To replace the same area in lead would have cost the church £500,000 and leave the building vulnerable to further attacks, even with the aid of sophisticated anti-theft deterrents. It was decided, after gaining permission from the Chancellor of the Diocese, one of the highest legal authorities in the country on ancient buildings, to use fibreglass for the repairs, which will cost around £70,000.

 

 

The picture provides a view of the damage to such an important ancient building. The fibreglass has now been fitted and ensures a leak free roof for many years plus once installed the fibreglass has zero value for thieves.

By Erol Tanir Roofing 0 Comments

The Benefits of Fibreglass

Benefits of fibreglass roofs

  • First of all, fibreglass is a very tough, robust material that can be laid without any seams;
  • It is also has very little intrinsic value if removed, deterring thieves;
  • The strength of fibreglass makes it extremely durable, with roofs fitted today lasting as long as 20 to 30 years;
  • This is mainly due to its ability to ward off wet and windy weather that easily attacks felt and bitumen roofs, therefore protecting your home from any irritating leaks – making it a weatherproof, dependable option too;
  • Fibreglass can also be easily repaired, extended or replaced if needs be; a simple gel resin applied with a paint gun can offer extra protection for an extensive period of time, while applying acrylic paint to the surface of your fibreglass roof can also help it last longer;
  • Fibreglass is a lightweight material and will not add weight to your roof structure;
  • The strength of fibreglass also allows it to be laid on flat roofs and then tiled over and used as a roof garden or upstairs patio/balcony area. Sarah Beany recently reported that a roof terrace or balcony would add 2% of value to your current house price;
  • Finally, you might think fibreglass is a dull and lifeless looking material, but that is simply no longer the case; fibreglass now comes in a variety of colours and surface textures for you to choose from, making it a very versatile roofing option.