Category: General

Why You Should Get Your Conservatory Checked After A Storm

The damage done by storm Ciaran is now being assessed, with the high winds having moved onto the continent after battering parts of the UK, especially in the south. The Channel Islands were hit hardest, with Jersey being struck by a Tornado.

While damage will have ranged from floods to fallen trees, many a home and conservatory will have taken a pasting. This may have come directly from the near hurricane-force winds, which can cause weaker structures to collapse. But damage can also be done by flying debris and falling tree branches.

In such circumstances, do not be surprised if you find your conservatory roof is leaking.

Even if your conservatory has not been affected this time, autumn is a common time for storms and that means there could be several occasions when householders will have to inspect for damage after the event. Ciaran has followed the damaging storm Babet in mid-October and late September’s Storm Agnes. 

Indeed, the Met Office Storm Centre has prepared a whole alphabet of names for the storms expected to arrive over the autumn and winter of 2023-24. Stand by for the arrival of Debi, Elin and Fergus soon.

If you have a roof leak, that could be for various reasons. A glass panel might have been loosened, a seal might have broken, allowing water in when it rains, or there may be a crack caused by fallen debris.

Not getting it dealt with at an early stage means there is a danger that matters will only get worse. Not only will the inside of the conservatory get wet every time it rains, but each successive spell of bad weather could make it worse.

That means something loosened in one storm may break off entirely next time. Clogged gutters will get more full of leaves and could rupture. A crack could increase in size. Indeed, in the latter case, this will happen when winter comes and the weather drops to around freezing point, which will turn a small fissure into a big one and then a fracture.

Of course, with Christmas coming you may feel like this is not a priority if you can get away with it. After all, you could be busy as the festive season approaches and not be keen to spend any money on fixing a conservatory leak when there are presents and turkeys to buy. But that would be a false economy because allowing things to get worse will cost you more.

By contrast, if you get the work done, you will do more than just stop an unpleasant leak that stops you from using your conservatory in winter. You will avoid matters getting worse but also have the problem resolved so well that all will be good as new, ensuring it is more resilient when the next storm arrives.

That way, damage from Debi won’t be followed by extra from Elin and fracture from Fergus. Instead, your conservatory will be secure to handle whatever the weather throws at it and in good shape when better conditions come in the spring.

How Do You Stop Ice Building Up On A Conservatory Roof?

After a longer period of sun when a conservatory has been able to be enjoyed as it was truly intended, the mercury has started to plummet and the conservatory needs to be prepped for winter.

Often this includes fitting thicker curtains, installing a heater and altering the space for primarily indoor use, but it is also important to prepare the outside of your conservatory as well to avoid any particularly nasty surprises before the first flush of spring.

In particular, it is really important to take care of the roof, as thick snowfall and frozen ice dams can cause unexpected damage and necessitate bringing in experts to help repair your conservatory.

Here are some top tips to stop ice and snow from building up on your conservatory roof over the winter.

Check The Gutters

Outside of particularly unexpected blizzard conditions, the main concern for most conservatory owners will be heavy rainfall, and if that rain freezes it can cause particularly damaging ice dams on your conservatory roof.

The best way to stop that from happening is to ensure water flows quickly and smoothly from the roof, and the best way to achieve that is to check the gutters are free of leaves, mud and gunk before the temperatures get too low.

Install A Melt Sock

A common DIY solution to ensure water can flow from the roof even during particularly frosty weather is through the use of an ice sock.

Essentially, this is a nylon long sock or half of a pair of tights filled with a de-icing liquid that rests on your roof across an ice dam and overhangs the gutter to help melt and loosen ice and create a channel for water to travel down.

It is not a perfect solution, particularly given that some de-icers are corrosive to certain metals, so check before you set one up.

Get Your Conservatory Repaired Before The Winter Sets In

Conservatories are great additions to the house in both summer and winter, so it is a good idea for homeowners to make sure theirs in good condition before the cold weather arrives. 

If there are any cracks in the glass, this needs to be looked at by a specialist immediately so they can get  to work on the conservatory repairs as soon as possible. 

There is nothing worse than only discovering your roof leaks during a thunderstorm, and this season is well-known for its tumultuous weather conditions, including heavy wind and rain, starting with Storm Babet this week. 

It is also essential to make sure there are no gaps in the sealing, as this could lead to leaking. This would also result in warm air being lost to the outside, which nobody wants when the temperature drops outside. 

If there is condensation on the windows, this is a sign there are problems with the double-glazing or the sealing, so it is worth getting it checked out. 

According to heating experts, most people will heat up their homes before the end of the month. Therefore, they will not want the hot air they have paid for to escape through their conservatory roof, making it feel cold and uncomfortable in there. 

Homeowners could also get their roof insulation checked out to ensure it is still in good condition. If it is past its best, it is worth replacing, as this will help warm up the room, making it more usable during the colder months. 

Another way to make the conservatory warmer is by installing underfloor heating, as this ensures every part of the room is heated up, as opposed to the area immediately surrounding the heater. 

It is also worth fitting blinds, having lots of textures, such as cushions and rugs, and removing furniture from in front of the radiator.

What Is Daylighting & Can It Improve Your Health?

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, many people are taking advantage of the time to check their conservatories and skylights and book any repairs or maintenance appointments if they need them.

The reason for this is that whilst a conservatory is often a delight in summer, it becomes more of a responsibility as the weather beats down on it.

However, that is not to say that a conservatory loses its importance in autumn and winter. Any room that is inherently constructed with daylighting in mind is not only important for a person’s mood but also potentially could improve their mental and physical health as well.

To explain why, we need to explore the connection between the body and daylight.

Conservatories, Skylights And The Circadian Rhythm

Daylighting is any architectural or construction work designed to maximise the amount of natural light that enters the building and is visible, typically trying to balance exposure to natural light without causing unnecessary amounts of glare or uncomfortably bright surroundings.

Conservatories are very popular among daylighting architecture because most of them are sunrooms by design, largely made of glass and designed explicitly to capture as much sunlight as possible during the summer.

However, it can also include skylights, roof windows, glazed partitions, open-plan interior design and anything else that removes the barriers between sunlight and most of the lived areas of a home.

The reason why this is undertaken is that there is a connection between exposure to natural light and several processes in the body that are collectively known as the circadian rhythm, often simply known as the body clock.

At a very basic level, the body times many of its internal processes to match what it is expected to need to do at different points of the day. 

The most obvious example of this is the sleep-wake cycle, where the body will be more alert when exposed to light indicating that it is daytime, whilst it will produce the hormone melatonin at night when it is time to sleep.

It is an essential bodily function, but something that can be disrupted by relying heavily on artificial lights during the day as opposed to natural light, which can happen in buildings not constructed with daylighting in mind.

It can also contribute to eye strain and potentially to seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression often seen in winter and connected to issues with a person’s circadian rhythm as well as their production of serotonin and melatonin, the sunlight and nighttime hormones respectively.

A well-maintained conservatory can help here, as it provides a space that is designed to allow for as much light as possible, which can help to boost a person’s mood and exposure to sunlight even as the days get shorter and there is less access to them.

This is what makes maintaining a conservatory essential even during colder months, as creating a light, open environment is beneficial to health, and choosing the right repair service will help you to avoid stress and all of the health problems that it can cause.

Is Your Conservatory Skylight Leaking And How To Fix It?

As the seasons change, drizzly autumnal weather will become more of the norm, which means if you didn’t know you had a leaky conservatory skylight, you soon will. 

Rainy weather 

Stronger downpours will become more common as the weather turns colder, and it might not be long before we experience snowfall. 

This means you might start to see drips on the floor underneath a skylight that is not properly sealed or has warped materials if it has been a few years since it was fitted. 

Alternatively, there might be a crack in the glass, which is letting in water from outside through to the house. 

Leaking when clear outside

However, some homeowners might discover their skylight is still leaking when the weather is clear. 

In this case, the problem is not to do with rain coming in through a crack in the glass or weakened seals, but because of condensation. 

Your skylight can suffer from condensation if the temperature inside the house contrasts greatly with the conditions outside. 

For instance, if you have your heating on high and warm air hits the glass surface, which is cold due to the autumnal or wintry weather, this can cause condensation. 

Skylights are particularly prone to this because hot air rises to the ceiling, which is where they are fitted.

What to do if there is leaking

The first thing to do if you experience dripping from your skylight is to determine whether it is due to leaks or condensation, as this will inform what steps you take next.

• How to fix leaks

If there is a leak in the window, it is sensible to call in repair specialists to determine how they can fix the problem. 

They might have to replace the flashing, which is metal that is installed to prevent water from roofs seeping into the house. Or you might find the flashing simply needs resealing or reinstalling if it is not positioned as tightly or accurately as it should be. 

Alternatively, the weather seals might need to be replaced if they have deteriorated or peeled away. 

It might also be caused by blocked drainage channels, leading to water building up on the window, resulting in it seeping into the conservatory below. 

If repairs cannot be made to the skylight, such as if there are large cracks, it may need to be replaced entirely. 

• How to fix condensation problems

If, however, you find the problem is related to condensation, it could be enough to improve insulation in the property. 

This will prevent warm air from travelling to the ceiling as easily, as it will remain trapped within the house. Consequently, the air touching the cold glass will not be as hot and cause condensation to occur. 

It is also a good idea to improve ventilation in the room, either by opening windows or removing obstructions from weep holes, which is where condensation is allowed to drain. 

Once you have determined what the problem with the skylight is, you will be able to resolve it easily, enabling you to have a warm, dry conservatory in time for the colder months.

3 Common Issues With Boxed Gutters

Conservatory design can be relatively complex depending on the nature of the existing property and what requirements are necessary in order to ensure that the extension can be installed successfully.

If, for example, the roof of the conservatory will be sloping backwards towards the host wall, then a box gutter will be necessary. This type of gutter collects the water that runs off the conservatory roof and stops it from splashing back onto the wall of the house. 

They can also be used in other instances, such as in bungalows, to carry the water away from both the roof of the house and that of the conservatory.

The gutters themselves come with boxed sides (hence the name) and a flat square base and, as is the case with all other types of guttering system, the aim is to prevent rain from penetrating through the doors and windows, which over time will impact the foundations of the property.

What problems are likely to arise with box gutters?

As with anything, issues with box gutter installations can raise their heads from time to time but these don’t have to be insurmountable and as long as they’re swiftly addressed as part of any regular home maintenance work, long-term or more complicated problems should not develop.

Something that you may encounter with this kind of guttering system is leakage. Leaks can appear at any point across the system, but keep a particularly close eye on the section that leads to the downspout of the roof. If leaks go unchecked here, you may find that metal corrosion starts to take place, especially in the areas that are holding water.

Also be aware that water spills can become problematic if you’re not careful. These occur when the drainage system gets blocked or if the drain isn’t strong enough to carry a certain volume of water. This then leads to overflow from the gutter itself.

Another common issue that homeowners often encounter is water running behind the box gutter. This can cause damage to the trim and make it easier for water to enter the actual property, usually the result of poor gutter design, so it’s important that you get on top of this at the design stage itself to protect your property and your investment.

Signs to look out for that indicate you may have an issue include water dripping through the trims (which can signal that you have a crack in the joints or that rust holes have developed), discolouration of the wood, trim or metal roofing, and water spots on the walls and ceilings of your home.

The right solution to your guttering issue will depend on what’s causing it, but note that some repairs aren’t effective, such as using grey liquid waterproofer, silicone or painting bitumen in the gutter. If you’d like to find out more about box gutter repairs that actually do work, get in touch with the Findons team today to see how we can help.