BUILDING ENVELOPE


Wrap up warmer


aing a solid roof fitted on your conseratory can help to sae energy and bills, but it’s important to choose your system carefully to get the best results, Tim Douglas from Guardian Building Systems eplains


A


roof replacement is a great opportunity to revive and maximise the use of any


conservatory, and a well-designed and properly installed roof provides a whole host of practical and aesthetic benefits. Warm roof systems can help keep the space cooler in summer and warmer in summer, save on heating costs and make the space look much more modern and welcoming. However, not all conservatory roof


replacements are equal, and for anyone committed to investing time and money in a new roof, it is important to understand the different options. Oer the past few years, a growing number of contractors have started to offer so called wrap oer systems. nlike warm roof systems, which are specially designed and engineered for each conservatory, wrap oer systems are typically fitted directly over your existing roof and are built by the contractor. s a result, while having a wrap over system installed can be cheaper at first, they can lead to some worrying, costly and stressful conseuences.


UNDERSTANDING THE OPTIONS As mentioned above, there are two commonly specified options for solid conservatory roofs:


• Wrap over systems – made up of timber battens, a breather membrane and tiles, are fied oer the eisting conseratory roof, followed by a final waterproofing system.  Warm roofs  these are new roofing systems which completely replace your eisting conseratory roof. They are often


formed from lightweight aluminium and pre-insulated to ensure good thermal performance. Warm roofs are designed specifically for conseratories, and are usually preassembled in dedicated facilities bespoke to a conservatory’s specifications.


Once fitted, both of these systems can initially appear very similar, however, wrap-over systems often conceal a number of potential problems.


WRAP OVER RISKS Wrap over systems typically feature very little insulation and the quality of the installation will be down to the individual contractor. This can lead to sizeable gaps between the insulation. The result is a space which isn’t much warmer, or cheaper to heat, in winter and can badly oerheat in summer.


The potential gaps in the insulation


layer, or around the edge of the roof where it joins to the conservatory, can also create cold spots on the surface.


WARM ROOF BENEFITS As mentioned, warm roof systems are designed specifically for your


Warm roof systems typically come with lots of design flexibility, allowing you to choose the style of roof tiles and incorporate features such as rooflights or internal downlighters


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When the warm air in your conservatory reaches these, it will cool and form condensation either on the surface of the layer, or within the construction. This can lead to mould growth which is not only unsightly, but can be unhealthy to inhale. It can also cause the timber structure to rot oer time.


Perhaps most significantly, many of the wrap over systems we come across are fitted without proper Building Control approal and certification. This may not only present issues if you choose to sell the house, but it can also pose serious safety risks as it often means no structural calculations are carried out. For these reasons, it’s important to think carefully before having a wrap-over system fitted. n most cases, warm roof systems provide a safer, healthier and better long-term inestment.


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