Environmental Changes & The Impact To Your Roof
There’s no getting away from it, the environmental landscape has certainly changed over the last few years and it’s leading to more and more issues in roofing. In our latest post we’ve taken a look at how some of these environmental changes that have impacted the UK over the years and ultimately what that means to you and your roof.
Increase in Temperature in UK
The UK has seen some incredibly hot periods of time recently, in fact, the BBC reported that the last decade (2010 – 2019) has been the second hottest decade in the last 100 years, being beaten only by the 10 years before it (2000 – 2009).
In the 2010s there were a total of eight new highest ever recorded temperatures set, with the highest coming on 25th July 2019 when Cambridge saw the mercury hit 38.7ºC.
We also saw a host of months break their individual highest-ever temperature last decade, with February, October, November, and December all setting a new highest record in the last 10 years.
So what impact could this have on your roof? Well, harsh sunlight and heat can have a damaging effect on roofs that absorb heat quickly. The EPDM rubber roofing solutions that we provide actually help alleviate this problem, due to the reflective nature of the rubber, they don’t absorb as much heat as other traditional roofing methods.
This means that as temperatures continue to rise, your rubber roof will help serve you longer than other forms of roofing.
Did You Know? EPDM Rubber can actually withstand temperature ranges from -40ºC all the way up to +120ºC
More Rainfall
Along with the rising heat over the last few years, we’ve also seen a rise in the average annual rainfall across the UK. In fact, in the last decade, there has been a 2% increase in average rainfall from 2010 to 2019 compared to the 10 years before it.
It’s estimated that over the next 80 years the UK is set to see about a 10% increase in average rainfall annually. In fact, we’re already starting to see the signs of the increase as February 2020 was actually the wettest February on record with 209.1 mm of rain, this is some 237% above average for this time of year.
With the increase in the amount of rainfall that we are seeing it’s important to make sure that your roof, and therefore your property, is adequately protected. Any type of roof that is leaking should be fixed immediately or you could find yourself with an even bigger issue further down the line.
Our EPDM roofing has a 50-year life expectancy, meaning that the average homeowner would only need to replace the roof once during their lifetime. Comparing this to other types of roofing material, like felt or fibreglass then your roof could potentially last twice as long, and not to mention the positive environmental impact you will have by using materials that are harder wearing and longer-lasting.
More Frequent Extreme Weather
It’s not just the heat and the rain, over recent years we’ve seen more examples of extreme types of weather. Who could forget the “Beast from the East” in 2018 which brought with it widespread unusually low temperatures and heavy snowfall to large areas of the country.
Officially named “Anticyclone Harmut’ this period of bad weather affected not just the UK but also other areas in Europe. Norway actually registered wind gusts of up to 116 mph during the storm. To put that in comparison, Storm Dennis which hit the UK in February 2020 registered winds of ‘just’ 80 mph.
All of these extreme types of weather can have a huge impact on finances as the cost to repair the damage caused by these storms can run into millions of pounds nationally. While some of the more costly claims are for those that have seen their business or property affected by flood damage, the rising cost of wind damage is something to certainly make property owners think about certain aspects of their building.
If for example, you were considering adding a single story extension to a property, the type of roof that you choose is vitally important – do you go for a pitched roof with traditional tiles that could be ripped apart by strong gusts of wind? Or do you instead look to take the approach of a flat roof and the benefits a single-ply membrane such as EPDM rubber roofs could offer in these situations.
We certainly know which we would want for our property in the face of a raging storm.
What Has Caused The Environmental Changes?
One of the big issues around the world is climate change and what impact this has on our environment. Many leading scientists state that pollution is causing damage to the Earth’s atmosphere which is leading to more extreme weather conditions, not just in the UK but around the world.
There are of course plans in place to try and limit the impact; the Paris Agreement is an agreement between 190 parties which is aimed at decreasing global warming. First signed in 2016 the full impact of the agreement is yet to be seen but this shows that the world is noticing and at the very least, trying to make change.
At Rubber4Roofs we can’t predict the future and we certainly won’t ever try to predict the weather. What we do know though is that our rubber roofing products have been tested to stand the test of time no matter what happens with the weather over the next hundred years!
You can find more information about our products through our website and if you would like help and assistance please contact one of our friendly team on 024 7666 7234 .