I would expect thet it would be a licensed plumber and/or roofer.
There is a National competency in roof plumbing, Certificate III. It is a licensed trade, and may be regulated work under state/territory legislation.
Roof Plumbers install and maintain metal, fibreglass and associated new material onto roofing structures. Installation of facias, gutters, downpipes, valley gutters, ridge capping, barge capping, flashings, skylights, ventilators dektites and battens are also included in this trade.
There are licensed plumbing businesses that also do roofing repair. Note not all plumbers do roofing work. There are also specialist roofing contractors who do not do general plumbing. These may not be interested in small one off jobs vs whole of house.
3 Likes
As others have advised the fitting must be done by a licenced Tradesperson. This may be done by roofing specialists (as far as I know as rules keep changing) or a plumber.
1 Like
Thank you all. Yes roof plumber was something I had never heard of, so I’m very glad I asked! I’ll see if I can find one. Thanks again, Elle
3 Likes
There are four separate qualifications that plumbers can achieve.
Plumber - Water suppply.
Drainer - Waste water.
Roofer - Roofs and accessories.
Gas Fitter - LPG & LNG gas installations.
Many such as my wife’s nephew hold all four.
4 Likes
I need to insulate my 10 year old home’s roof which is Colourbond, large & airy, so unlikely to have any condensation problems. My ultimate aim is to make this home more energy efficient &,of course, more comfortable!
Has anyone got any suggestions as to which Insulation is best in this instance? We are situated on the Sunshine Coast.
Hi @Shadow, I merged your post into this older one. Although it is a few years old it has a few posts that should be helpful. It will also bump up in the ‘latest list’ now so could attract renewed interest.
You may find some of the links posted here of use.
Why do you suggest a Colorbond roof will be not have condensation issues?
We’ve lived in several locations on the Sunshine Coast, including the salt affected zone and GH Mountains. All metal roofs are at risk of condensation, especially from the warm humid air typical of the subtropical costal climate.
Also to consider,
- Does the house have a low pitched roof and effective sarking?
- Are there any vent or downlight openings into the roof space?
- Is the house ground on slab, or of raised construction?
It’s critical to have the right type of product and it installed safety and correctly.
1 Like
Hi Mark,
Thanks for such a prompt reply!
The roof is very high with substantial pitch. The house is on a slab perched near the top of a substantially high rock & is anchored into the rock face. These factors make me feel that: yes! There would be a certain amount of condensation, but that the height & size of the roof would perhaps minimise any actual problems caused by condensation. I may well be completely wrong.
Not having been able to look into the roof myself, my understanding is that it is sarked but there was no mention of air vents as such.
Thanks for the ICANZ tip - I shall endeavour to research this issue using those handbooks if I can get access to them.
1 Like
As the roof is installed, the most cost effective will be insulation installed on or between the ceiling joists. There are foil types which generally have low R ratings. If you have aircon and a coloured Colorbond (not white), then batts would be better. They can have high R ratings and easily installed.
Work out your budget. Batts can made from a range of materials and come with different prices. Also install a R ratings more than the minimum recommended. I would guess the minimum recommended R rating for Sunshine Coast would be 1.5-2. I personally would be putting double this and possibly 4 or more as the incremental costs for the higher rating is small compared to the additional benefits.
Also get a good installer who has insurance cover (ask for it). A good installer will install shrouds over lights/vents/exhaust fans and do a good job quickly. Insurance details are needed just in case something unforeseen happens during or after the installation. Also get them to access the ceiling cavity through the access hole in the ceiling - usually inbuilt in wardrobes or garages. Avoid removing roofing as this can increase likelihood of roof leaks in the future.
Also inspect their work when completed to ensure it has be done to all the ceiling and they have left it tidy (e.g. insulation bags removed as well as offcuts).
You might also find this website useful…
They are available free from the ICANZ web site as part of their consumer resource. This is a good first read.
It doesn’t sound like you are intending to DIY.
Most would choose a contractor rather than attempt the task. I can’t recommend one. They will not quote without an inspection, which would provide an opportunity to obtain the contractors recommendation on the type of insulation etc. The cost to install can be significant. The difference in material cost between say R2.0 and R2.5 rated insulation relatively minor.
For any quote ask for the full details of the insulation to be supplied including brand. Also ask for the material cost to be quoted separately to the installation - labour costs. Over a number of properties we have used ceiling batt products from Bradford and Earthwool. There is little value paying for too high a rating if a large portion of the heat load is not delivered through the roof.
Awesome advice, thanks so much!
You have completely confirmed exactly what I had been thinking, having had foil installed in my previous home on the Sunshine Coast, I would not select foil again.
I had pretty much decided that batts are the way to go & you have clarified the grading system for me.
I really appreciate your clarification & your clear advice.
Thanks again for taking the time to help me.
1 Like
Many thanks for taking the time to help me out with this conundrum!
It could have been a very expensive mistake for me if I had not received your help. I really appreciate the in depth explanations which you have shown me.
Thanks again.
We’ve progressively replaced the paper reinforced foil panels loose placed in our roof spaces with R2.5 batts. The difference they make particularly in winter is noticeable. <5C yesterday morning outside, with the batts 12-14C inside, with foil the house would have been in single digits 8-10C.
Foil panels make working in the roof space, sparkies and plumbers being there mostly, more difficult. The panels are too readily damaged, displaced and crushed. The foil panels may suit some situations. Not ours, although the pythons in the roof have voted. 
Thanks again Mark, it’s some 12 years ago that I had the foil placed in my roof & a great deal has changed since then - & I’m still learning🤣
Why is white a problem?
White isn’t a problem - it is potentially part of the solution. White roofs reflect a significant amount of the heat radiated from the sun. Coloured roofs absorb more heat causing the ceiling cavity to be substantially hotter (fashionable dark coloured roof colours are worst at absorbing heat and heating the ceiling cavity and the underlying home). The same principles apply to a vehicle.
1 Like
I thought the general advice was more about light coloured vs dark. It might follow that the most reflective is an unpainted new and bare zinc finished metal roof. Or is this also subjective? Some sources suggest it can be influenced by the type of paint applied.
Heat energy through most roofing systems is predominantly transferred by conduction and convection. The colour and type of roof cladding is just one factor. Typically a metal roof is assigned an R rating of zero, IE R0.
An interesting observation is we now have the major portions of our north and west facing roofing co reed by solar panels. It’s a small home by modern standards. Subjectively it seems slightly less hot in summer. But in winter with lots of verandah shade the inside assumes ice like conditions. Hence adding solar panels may have an unexpected benefit in keeping the roof cooler in summer as well as the power bills down.
No, new galvanized zinc gets very hot as the colour is medium grey. The best roof colour to have is a (well maintained) white. Next best is very light colours with worse being very dark colours such as charcoals and blacks. Dark roof colours are fashionable unlike white/light colours.
Unfortunately some councils don’t allow white under their planning schemes or building codes. The main reason being they believe their reflective nature can annoy other nearby residents. With good design, a white roof wouldn’t be any issue if this was a genuine concern.
2 Likes
Useful to know if one is building a new home.
Renew which is the source in the link also points out the futility of being too obsessed about roof colour for an existing home. It is possible to change the colour if an existing roof by painting. There are several products that increase the reflectivity of the roof through additives in the paint combined with lighter colours. This is only a consideration in extreme daytime heat conditions. For cooler climates and winter conditions it is less relevant.
Renew comments,
What’s the best roof design?
There is no simple answer as it depends on a number of factors, including the design of the rest of the house, the house location and orientation, climate, and the need to accommodate other roof-mounted equipment such as solar arrays.
And adds
With the exception of SIPs, the insulating abilities of most roof materials are minimal compared to the overall insulation requirements for a thermally stable home, so the slightly higher insulation abilities of one material over another should not be a deciding factor in roof material selection. The insulation inside the roof cavity, such as reflective foil sarking and bulk insulation, has a much higher R-value than most roofing materials.
For those wondering about SIPs they are a sandwich construction of sheet material with a layer of insulating foam. Commonly used in construction of refrigerated or freezer storage they can be highly flammable, and also in the instance of several notable fires of cladding in high rise buildings. Note the Jan 2017 publication date of the reference predates recent incidents.
1 Like
