There are two essential tools for professionals working on slate roofing maintenance projects that offer simplicity, cost effectiveness and time saving benefits that will pay handsome dividends to roofers, gas engineers, solar PV installers, HEATAS engineers, builders, plumbers and maintenance teams working for housing associations, local authorities, housing contractors and the like.
These two unique products from specialist provider Greenpolly, are essential ‘on the van’ accessories for every maintenance team in the country. Using these items:
• significantly reduces potential labour times
• and future failures on an existing repair.
Any additional work caused by current working practices will not only add cost but will mean more material being used and additional traveling, both increasing the Housing Association or other organisation’s carbon footprint.
The first of these tools is the Roof Toof – a specialist saw that makes light work of removing and replacing cracked roof slates. This unique 550mm long-reach, narrow and extremely flexible high tensile steel saw featuring a bimetallic blade and an ergonomic soft grip handle for maximum grip, offers an innovative solution to tackling tricky or specialist jobs, cutting rather than ripping nails, removing any slates in a quick, easy and safe way, making the Roof Toof a toolbox essential for anyone who needs to:
• replace damaged or broken slates
• ensure a secure fit on a boiler flue installation
• fit Solar PV panel supports
• install roof light windows
• install soil and vent pipes
Lightweight at only 390 grams, the bimetallic blade features 24tpi teeth for precision cuts. Users report that the Roof Toof quickly becomes a key tool in their armoury for working on slate roofs.
A great companion to the slate ripper, Roof Toof offers the ideal solution when dealing with slate coverings that are fragile, hard to reach or in a confined space such as:
• up against gutters,
• around chimneys, valleys or gullies.
Nails can be neatly cut flush above the batten, reducing disturbance and the risk of further damage to neighbouring slates.
Unlike a slate ripping tool, Roof Toof cuts, rather than rips the nail from the batten. Sawing rather than ripping eliminates possible damage to the battens and surrounding areas and this technique also removes the risk of bent nails, which could lead to cracked tiles and further problems when fitting the new slate. For jobs where it’s crucial to preserve the original slate, for example when replacements are hard to source, cutting the existing slate free eliminates the risk of breaking a valuable slate.
The second essential accessory from Greenpolly is the Roof Tingle. It’s a groundbreaking innovation in slate roof maintenance and repair. Changing weather patterns in the UK mean that with the potential for more storms and stronger winds, using superior fixings will reduce future repairs and future-proof even elderly slate roofs.
It’s a unique one-piece stainless-steel replacement slate fixing revolutionising the way tradespeople work on slate roofs. The Roof Tingle does not require copper nails for installation. Instead, it comes with a custom-designed tool that allows for quick, simple and secure installation making it an essential fixing for trades involved in slate replacement.
Crafted in high-quality 316 marine-grade stainless steel, the Roof Tingle is built to withstand even the harshest conditions, including extreme marine environments where corrosion is a constant concern.
Its robust construction guarantees a lifespan that exceeds the roof’s own, offering a permanent solution to slate replacement. Engineered for precision, the Roof Tingle ensures:
• a perfect fit for slate roofs
• its compact design allows for easy handling and installation, making it ideal for tight spaces or challenging roofing angles
• despite its slim profile, the Roof Tingle offers superior strength and durability, ensuring it stands up to long-term wear and tear.
The Roof Tingle is machined in the UK with BS5534 in mind and its granted patent – (GB2623797B) design speaks to the innovation behind the product.
Gentoo Housing Association has run a trial with the product: “Our roofing teams have used the Roof Tingle for replacement slate repairs. They have been really impressed at the simplicity of the product which has saved a lot of time. Also, the stainless steel is far sturdier than the cooper fixings which were previously used.”
Juan Martin-Nunez at Southampton-based Netley Abbey Roofing Limited says “We tried the Roof Tingle on a roof where the slates had to be stripped to re-lay a felt gully. We found them quick and easy to fit into the batten, sitting nicely between the slates. Once the slates were repositioned, the tingle was quickly bent over, securing the slate with ease. We had previously been using the hall spring load which would leave the slate higher due to the spring being sat on the slates below. With the Roof Tingle, the slates were nicely flat on the slates below. We have been using the slate tingle ever since.”
These products are available from selected branches of roofing merchants including SIG, Burton Roofinendent roofing merchants. For more information head for www.greenpolly.co.uk or email the company at info@greenpolly.co.uk.
For any housing association interested in trialling Roof Toof and Roof Tingle products, please email David Salmon at davidsalmon@greenpolly.co.uk for further information.
Images © Greenpolly
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