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Why choose a felt roofing system?

Many business owners opt for a felt roofing system for their commercial property because it is a low cost option. It’s the cheapest type of roof compared to other flat roof systems which means less up-front cost initially. Similarly, the cost of repairs won’t spiral out of control as sections can be easily replaced without having to interfere with the entire roofing system. Small sections that need care and attention can be seen to instead of a full roof repair which again would keep costs down.

They’re also a popular choice because of their versatility. Felt roofing systems can be laid to any size and can be installed on almost any roof types.

Once the felt roofing system has been installed it has a high aesthetic quality improving the overall appearance of the commercial building. It makes for a really clean finish and it’s possible to choose the colour of the felt to match the building.

How easy is it to maintain a felt roofing system?

Any commercial roof system needs regular maintenance to ensure it remains in complete working order. Failure to adhere to a regular roof maintenance schedule can mean problems go undetected and the scale of the fix increases over time, as does the cost. Of course, different roof types require different levels of maintenance.

Felt roofing systems are reliable and can withstand various weather conditions and high levels of foot traffic. In fact, they’re often used to prevent water ingress in flat roofs – so they’re a good choice if reliability is key.

Maintenance of a felt roofing system is simple and straightforward:

• Regular check the felt roof for any signs of wear and tear
• Clear any build up of debris such as leaves, rubbish, branches and any vegetation
• Even though felt roofing systems are relatively sturdy check the roof after any extreme weather conditions

Basically, by regularly inspecting the roof it will mean any small problems are caught before they grow into large problems that can have a real impact on the building itself.

Interested in felt roofing systems?

A felt roofing system is a great choice and here at NWIR, we install a number of market leading felt roofing systems in both APAO, APP and SBS materials. Our felt roofing systems are available in both traditional torch applied and fully cold applied versions to suit the site installation requirements. To discuss whether a felt roofing system is the best choice for your commercial property, contact us.

As a comprehensive roofing company who is one of the UK’s only specialist industrial roofing contractors, we have grown and established a strong client portfolio that covers a range of roofing services across the country.

You can take a look at the variety of different roof services we provide on our website but we’ve highlighted a small sample here that highlights the skills we have as a team.

1. Asbestos Overcladding

Instead of removing existing asbestos roof sheeting, it’s much more cost effective to use overcladding, which also minimises the amount of disruption to your site. Our asbestos overcladding process involves insulating the new scheme to current warm roof regulations to increase thermal efficiency and save our clients even more in the long run. A 0.7mm outer roof sheet is installed along with stepsafe rooflights. Roofline systems can be fitted if required which ensures safe future maintenance.

2. Commercial Green Roofs

More and more commercial businesses are choosing to install green roofs on their property. They increase local habitats and can improve the surrounding air quality. But green roofs are not only good for the environment but good for business too. Buildings that have green roofs installed can see up to 4% reduction in heating bills and can hold up to 82% of rainfall. Crucially, we offer annual green roof maintenance as well as installation.

3. Roof Maintenance

A lack of roof maintenance is one of the leading causes of all roof leaks and faults. This neglect and lack of investment in maintenance can lead to much more costly repairs down the line. In fact, regular roof maintenance is proven to save you money and protect your roof investment so it’s not something to be overlooked. We provide comprehensive roof maintenance for roofs nationwide and even operate high quality drone surveys for increased accuracy.

4. Liquid Applied Roofing

NWIR install a range of liquid applied roofing systems in Polyurethane and PMMA compositions. Most substrates can take the application of the liquid coating including older and more modern types. We can integrate insulation into the new roofing design to adhere to warm roof regulations. Additionally, new flat roofing schemes can incorporate insulated rooflights to maximise natural daylight.

5. Gutter Lining Systems

We provide guttering systems that are seamless, providing watertight solutions that keep buildings dry in the long-term. Depending on the needs of the project, we can install brand new gutter systems or refurbish existing rainwater systems.

For any commercial & industrial roofing services, contact us at NWIR on 0800 046 1500 or fill out our contact form online.

During the summer your commercial gutters don’t see a lot of action. Summer is relatively dry and there isn’t a great deal of wind which means debris is less likely to be blown into your gutters, causing blockages and problems. And, with less rain, there’s not a lot of drainage that needs to be done. However, with winter quickly approaching, your commercial and industrial gutters are going to be tested which is why it’s vital to prepare them for the upcoming wet, windy and icy months.

Gutter maintenance

With your gutters not really having much to do over the summer, any problems that could have occurred at the tail end of the last winter could have gone unnoticed. Things such as cracked piping, blockages and debris build up can occur which, during summer, may not cause much of an issue, but by the time winter rolls around again these problems can be devastating to your gutters, and subsequently you building as a whole. This is why it’s essential to perform gutter maintenance to stay on top of any issues before they get worse.

Prevention is always better than cure and whilst it may seem like a hassle performing regular gutter maintenance on your commercial or industrial building, it’s much better than having a failing gutter system that will require much more work and cost a lot more to fix.

Plus, if problems with your gutters causes damage to your building, such as damp, mould, cracks to the foundation or further structural damage, it’s going to be a much bigger job than simple gutter maintenance.

Steps to take

Before the harsh weather hits, you need to take action to ensure your gutters are in full working order. If you notice any issues with your gutters it’s wise to call a professional.

Due to a lack of maintenance, a lot of commercial and industrial roofs suffer from gutter and joint failure which needs to be addressed by an experienced roofing company. Many existing commercial and industrial rainwater schemes do not have the capacity to cope with the volume of rainwater they face, due to wear and tear over time, or neglect, and new gutter lining systems and additional rainwater outlets are required.

Here at NWIR, we can provide new gutter & drainage systems to help your building cope with the demands of the months to come. Contact us to find out more.

Roof cladding is a vital part of any commercial or industrial building. Roof cladding is an extra layer that is put on a roof which, whilst not load-bearing, acts as a waterproof seal for the property. Roof cladding can come in a variety of different materials but we think one of the most suitable materials is metal, specifically aluminium or steel.

But Why Is It So Important For Commercial Roofs?

There are three main areas which make roof cladding an integral part of any commercial property and these should be considered when thinking about roof cladding for your building.

Providing Insulation

Installing roof cladding can provide insulation on your roof that can help to regulate the internal temperature of the building. Additionally, insulation can provide an extra layer of soundproofing which can be beneficial if your industry creates a lot of noise that can disturb the surrounding area – helping you to adhere to certain regulations. Finally, insulation can provide a level of fire resistance to your building depending on the type of cladding you have.

Protection From The Elements

Not only is roof cladding a waterproof layer that prevents moisture build-up in your roof’s surface and within the property itself, it also helps to protect the building from the elements. Excess sun, rain, wind and sub-zero temperatures can play havoc with commercial roofing and problems can occur without the extra layer of roof cladding. Extreme weather can penetrate roofs, cause cut edge corrosion and generally deteriorate your roof. By installing roof cladding you can save on roof maintenance and repair costs in the long-run and significantly increase the lifespan of the roof.

Improving The Aesthetics

The great thing about roof cladding is that it can be coated to match the existing aesthetic of your building or, can be coated to create a completely different look. So not only does roof cladding protect your building, it improves its aesthetics too, helping to increase the overall appeal of your building.

Thinking About Roof Cladding For Your Commercial Building?

Here at NWIR, we install a range of roof cladding systems – all from market leading manufacturers. Depending on your budget and your specific requirements, we can install roof cladding in twin-skin, composite panel and single skin anti-condensation designs.

Whether you go for the standard trapezoidal designs with your roof cladding system or you prefer the more traditional finish of tile effect and tile support systems, we can accommodate either. The installation of roof cladding is relatively straightforward so there’s minimal disruption to your site.

If you’d like to learn more, contact us at NWIR – we’re commercial roofers who specialise in metal roof cladding.

We have an exciting opportunity for those in the roofing trade to come work on a major roofing project in the North West.

The job is for a 50,000m² over clad in Knowsley, Liverpool, with new plygene gutters.

Minimum qualifications needed are:

• CSCS
• IPAF
• Working at height

You will be required to have asbestos awareness.

To apply, email amy@nwir.uk or call 01925768320 / 07957609864 and ask for Amy.

Why Do Some Roofs Contain Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that is perfect for use in insulation. And so between the 1950’s until the 1990’s, asbestos was widely used in the construction industry as a method of building insulation.

However, it was discovered later that asbestos had very strong links to a number of fatal lung diseases and subsequently banned here in the UK in the late 90s. So whilst asbestos is no longer used in new buildings, older buildings built before the ban may contain the material within their walls and roof linings.

What Are The Dangers of Asbestos?

It is extremely dangerous to come into contact with loose asbestos fibres. Inhaling them can cause serious and life threatening diseases. In fact, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) asbestos still kills around 5,000 workers each year, with around 20 tradesmen dying every week as a result of past asbestos exposure.

This is because asbestos doesn’t immediately harm you once you have inhaled it, it usually takes a long time to develop and once you have a diagnosis, it’s usually too late and there’s often nothing that can be done. The most dangerous thing about asbestos is that you cannot see or smell the fibres so you don’t know you’re breathing them in.

Diseases relating to asbestos include:

• Mesothelioma, a cancer usually affecting the lungs and lower digestive tract.
• Asbestos-related lung cancer
• Asbestosis, severe scarring of the lungs
• Pleural (lining of the lung) thickening

What Can Be Done About Asbestos?

If you think your building might contain asbestos you must seek professional help and advice. The particles must be tested by a certified specialist, such as NWIR, to assess whether there are risks to the wider public and how best to limit them.

Once you’ve contacted a professional asbestos specialist no public access should be available and it’s important to shut down any heating and/or air conditioning systems. Basically, anything that circulates air as this can spread asbestos fibres.

Testing For Asbestos

Here at NWIR, our professional PASMA trained specialists conduct a thorough testing procedure. First, we take careful and concise asbestos samples, transferring them into sealed containers to be tested. We then make the suspected areas weatherproof and safe. We would then reduce the level of harmful fibrous particles in the air to reduce the potential risks to the wider public.

The Next Steps

Once the asbestos testing and roof survey is complete we liaise with you to keep you informed of the results. When the results do come back, we’ll give you advice on the best way to tackle any problems highlighted.

More often than not, the problem can be treated with asbestos overcladding. This is where metal or plastic sheets are attached to undisturbed areas of asbestos to make them same. Here at NWIR we provide asbestos roof overcladding services and will be able to advise you about whether this course of action is suitable for your building.

Whilst roof guttering is essential for all commercial and industrial buildings, it’s actually the cause of most commercial roof failures.

This is because roof guttering is the most neglected area of roof maintenance.

Gutter joint failure is also a common problem with commercial roofs but isn’t detected due to a lack of maintenance, which can lead to all sorts of long-term issues.

Those commercial buildings with flat roof systems especially need their gutters properly cleaned and maintained.

The increasing pressure put on commercial gutter systems

Serving a similar purpose to residential gutters but differing in size, material and placement, commercial gutters help protect your property from the rain by draining it away from the roof.

For industrial properties (like warehouses or distribution facilities) the sheer scale of your roof means your gutters are likely to be put under a lot of pressure, particularly in winter in the UK. The Met Office recently announced 2026 was one of the wettest Winters on record.

And this is an upward trend not likely to drop anytime soon.

Now, unless your business is in the middle of the desert, you’ll likely benefit from having commercial gutters installed on your premises.

Whether you have a retail property, an industrial warehouse, or an office space, protecting your building and staff from the rain and the damp problems it brings with it is of the utmost importance.

Why Are Commercial Gutters Important?

If you’re thinking about having commercial gutters fitted onto your property and are wondering about the potential benefits of having them, we’ve got you covered:

Capacity

Whether you have a huge industrial warehouse or a single retail unit, commercial gutters come in a range of shapes and sizes. Meaning you can get the required size you need for your property and its needs, no building is too large or too small to have them installed.

Durability

Usually made from aluminium or steel, commercial gutters are incredibly resilient to rust and denting. This doesn’t mean they don’t need any maintenance at all, but you can be safe in the knowledge they can handle harsh environments and the elements incredibly well.

Safety

Due to the ingenious design, the water and debris that is drained by commercial gutters is guided away from the walls of the premises instead of down them. Meaning anyone underneath can pass without worrying about getting drenched or something hitting them from above. This also helps maintain the appearance of the building and the surrounding walkways.

Cost

Having commercial gutters installed on your property can be extremely cost effective in the long run. Especially during the winter or particularly rainy periods as it can help you save on maintenance costs.

When your roof is exposed to lots of rain, it can bring numerous problems (such as decaying) and this can lead to regular spending on roof and building maintenance.

When your roof has commercial gutters installed, your building is protected meaning less time spent on maintenance and decreased costs.

What Happens When Roof Guttering is Neglected?

Roof guttering exists to direct rainwater away from the rooftop, and away from the building entirely. If guttering becomes clogged it can no longer perform this function. As a result, when it rains, the water is not directed away from your roof and can cause a number of problems.

Water can spill over the side of the gutters and flow down the building which over time, causes flooding to the structure’s foundations. If this happens repeatedly, it can cause cracks within the foundation, which compromises the structural integrity of the building but, moreover, can actually cause frozen pockets of water to form within the foundation during colder months.

Additionally, the exterior of your commercial building can become stained from dirty rainwater flowing down the side of your building due to blocked guttering.

How blocked gutters create a problem with standing water

A common problem with flat roof systems is standing water, which can occur when guttering isn’t working properly. If standing water is left to stagnate this can cause severe problems for commercial roofs.

These include sagging of the roof from additional weight, increased leaks, build-up of moss and plants, and faster deterioration of the roofing system.

Standing water is actually one of the most common causes of commercial roof leaks.

You can find out more about our flat roof repairs services if this is a problem you’re having.

Ways to Maintain Your Roof Guttering

It’s essential to regularly clean your guttering to keep it clean from debris as part of your regular commercial or industrial roof maintenance. Things like leaves, dirt and other random objects can collect and clog your guttering. It’s not pleasant to think about but slime can form which also needs to be removed.

This can be done with a scoop and then water pushed through to give it a thorough rinse. It’s recommended that gutters are cleaned out at least twice a year and especially after bad weather i.e. strong wind and heavy rain, as this is the time that leaves and other debris are likely to blow into the gutter.

Regular checks and guttering maintenance is recommended even if there’s no cleaning to be done. This also gives you the opportunity to check for gutter joint failure.

By regularly checking your roof you can stay on top of any issues and complete small fixes as and when, rather than having a severe failing.

How can we help?

As you can see, there are numerous benefits to having commercial guttering installed on your building.

So how can we help when it comes to providing you with an effective solution to your business’ gutter problem?

Here at NWIR, we can install seamless gutter lining and gutter coating systems to existing commercial and industrial rainwater guttering. These systems are fully seamless and provide a long-term solution to keep your building watertight.

With this in mind, if you’d like any more info on the gutter systems we provide or are looking to go ahead and would like to talk about the installation process and costs, get in touch with the team today.

When we talk about a warm roof vs a cold roof, what we’re really talking about is the insulation of the flat roof. Basically there are two options to choose from when insulating a flat roof: warm or cold.

Warm Roof Insulation

Installing a warm roof can be extremely straight forward and simple to do. Warm roofs offer a superior thermal performance and therefore come with a higher cost.

With a warm roof, the insulation is installed on top of the existing surface rather than in between the rafters. The great thing about a warm roof is that if your existing roof surface is in good condition, you don’t need to do much to it. Simply brush off any debris that is present, secure insulation boards to the surface and then lay down your flat roof covering over the top.

Because the warm roof method makes sure all of the roof structure is insulated, it’s a more energy efficient option over a cold roof.

Cold Roof Insulation

Despite its name, a cold roof does actually provide some insulation but it is named as such because the insulation is laid between the rafters. A lot of empty space is found between rafters which makes it a pretty low impact roof insulation method. This is because when the weather is cold, despite the majority of the ceiling below being insulated well, the rafters are not and therefore the cold will conduct through them and enter the room below.

The wooden rafters conduct heat much more than insulation which means you end up with something called thermal bridging.

Cold roof insulation is most commonly used when a flat roof is first being created because it’s a relatively easy process. However, cold roof insulation on an existing flat roof system is anything but simple. It requires the existing roof surface to be ripped up so that the insulation can be laid in between, before a new roof surface is then placed over the top. So it makes the job entirely more complex and increases the timescale of the project extensively.

Which one is best for me?

A cold roof is best when you’re initially creating a flat roof and is cheaper than a warm roof, but does provide an inferior thermal performance.

A warm roof is much more straightforward to install and provides a superior thermal performance and is therefore more costly. It should also be noted that a warm roof adds height to a flat roof and so cannot be used on balconies and extensions with doors that lead onto the roof.

For more information on any commercial & industrial roofing services, contact us at NWIR 0800 046 1500.

NWIR were thrilled to be a part of the Facilities Show at ExCel London UK this June 2017.

More About The Facilities Show at ExCel London

Bringing together over 300 suppliers for more than 11,000 visitors, the Facilities Show is the perfect event for every kind of FM professional to network, do business and learn more about developments within the industry.

This year Facilities Show were celebrating its fourth successful year at ExCeL London in 2017 with exclusive industry support from BIFM, along with RICS, CIWM and CIBSE.

Covering everything from Space & Infrastructure to People & Organization, the week long show highlighted cost effective FM solutions for every sector, as well as providing complimentary CPD workshops and seminars and leading industry networking groups.

The show was full of new insights and hands on experience with the latest products and solutions from the very best suppliers.

Our Experience Paid Dividends 

The great thing about the Facilities Show is that it gives us the opportunity to position ourselves in front of a large audience. The event really is the heart of the facilities management industry and a huge benefit is having the opportunity to meet key people within the industry face-to-face.

NWIR were there under the ‘Maintenance’ sector and we were lucky enough to be at the event all week. We had a large stand with a great focal point which drew in a lot of interest.

Our presence enabled us to get some good, quality leads for our commercial & industrial roofing services and was an excellent bonding experience for the whole team!

Many commercial and industrial buildings are opting to include roof light systems into their buildings, and for good reason. There are a range of advantages to having a roof light system installed within your commercial or industrial building.

Energy Efficient

Reducing the cost of energy bills is something every business could benefit from and installing a roof light system is something that could help do this. Because roof light systems allow natural light to shine through into the building, it reduces the need to rely on artificial lighting. Using a renewable, clean and natural source of light can not only help to save money, but it reduces the impact excess energy consumption has on the environment, making your business more eco-friendly.

Improved Health and Wellbeing

It is widely accepted that exposure to natural sunlight can improve our health and wellbeing. Not only does it give us the essential vitamin D, which is needed for healthy bones, teeth and muscle, exposure to natural sunlight helps strengthen our immune system and helps regulate our sleep patterns.

Conversely, workers who are exposed to nothing but artificial lights during working hours can become lethargic, irritable and can often get headaches.

By having roof light systems installed in your building, you can increase the health and wellbeing of your employees, as well as helping to maximise work productivity.

Privacy

A lot of businesses who work with sensitive materials or need to maintain a modicum of privacy because of the nature of their work, have to sacrifice window space and in turn, access to natural light because of it. However, roof light systems allow buildings to have access to natural light whilst still maintaining a high level of privacy.

Here at NWIR, we can install new roof lights on both flat and pitched roofs. If you’re looking for roof lights replacement on your commercial or industrial roof contact us today 0800 046 1500.