If you live near the coast, your roof will be affected by corrosion caused by the sea air. Fine particles of sea salt, usually formed by the evaporation of sea spray, creates a salt haze – and it is this haze which corrodes your roofing screws, causing them to weaken. Once this happens their performance is greatly affected over their lifetime.
Besides being caused by salt air, corrosion of roofing screws can also result from acids carried through the air from industry and chemical sprays, U.V. from the sun, or humidity in tropical or moist areas.
Roofing screws are generally overlooked as having a detrimental effect, and they are something that usually no-one notices until it is too late – and the roofing iron has to be replaced! Therefore, it is a good idea to have the screws checked around every 5 years, as this will ensure that you keep on top of the problem to avoid your roofing iron from being affected by rusty screws.
How do rusty screws affect your roof?
Rust runs down off the head of the rusty screw and on to the roof sheet itself. Over time this can develop into a rust hole in the roof sheet, with a very good chance of water entering the roof space, this would then damage the inside of the building. It therefore costs a lot less to replace the roof screws than the roof sheet that has become damaged due to the rusting screws!
When having a house inspected because you are considering buying it, make sure you are aware of the state of the roofing screws, and keep in mind the corrosion process, because what might not be seen as a problem at the time of purchase can become a significant cost if not rectified. If you are made aware of rusting screws at the time of inspection you will have the option of getting the screws replaced, which is a lot more cost effective than replacing the whole roof.
Signature Roofing and Guttering only use the best quality screws and fasteners by Buildex that provide superior product performance, guaranteed corrosion protection, have an extensive range and availability.
If you are interested in having your roof inspected please contact us.