Case Study:Routine Gutter Cleaning Allowed Us to Spot Cracked Roof Tiles Before They Caused Serious Damage

A high-end residential property in Notting Hill, London, required expert gutter cleaning, eight floors up, and roof tile repairs after reported leaks in the resident's apartments. 

Discover how the Spectrum team handled this project with a specialist hybrid access approach and patented gutter-cleaning equipment. 

The Logistics

A property management company we have worked with across multiple cleaning and maintenance services at various sites in London, recently contacted us to investigate and resolve a leak issue at one of their properties.

Before our investigative works, the property manager assumed the leak was caused by blocked gutters, unaware that the broken roof tiles presented potential water mitigation issues.

As always, we conducted a pre-site assessment to ascertain with certainty the cause of the problem alongside a strategy for access and any other issues we could help with.

During our pre-site visit, we devised the following action plan:

• Five to eight stories of the building required a hybrid access approach of rope access and a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP).
• Phase 1 of the project required a full gutter cleaning with patented equipment.
• Phase 2 would require water testing and a report on the waterproofing results.

Confident of our gutter cleaning strategy, we set to work on delivering a high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective service for our client.

The Project

Arriving on-site, we established a safe working system with rope access and a MEWP to gain proximity to the gutters. As the team gained access to the roof, they noticed damaged tiles that could also be causing water mitigation issues.

Damaged tiles can be due to falling debris, weather, general wear and tear and even previous contractors causing accidental breakages.

On the roof, the team took photos of the broken tiles while mapping out an aerial vision of the property. As part of the report with photographs and videos of the defects, the team took the time to suggest the recommended action for fixing the issues.

With the carefully documented roof tile repairs, we then cleaned the gutter from the ground. On the ground level, the team used patented Spectrum attachments for the gutter vac, and for roof access, we used MEWP and abseiling techniques.

We also checked the gutter lining and drainage system to ensure it was fully functional. After the client saw the photos of broken roof tiles, they asked us to come in the following day to measure and source replacements for the slate tiles.

With the slate tile replacements sourced the following day, we acquired the MEWP to help fit the replacements, renewing all the damaged and defective roof tiles from the elevated platform and with rope access.

The team identified that some of the lead linings on the roof were also defective and required reinstating. Due to the weight of the lead and being installed on a sloping wall, it had started to slip. Therefore, to solve this health and safety issue, we reinstated it firmly and covered it with lead mastic to keep it waterproofed.

After completing our gutter cleaning and roof tile replacement services, we carried out waterproofing tests. The team assessed every area across the roof, gutter and gulleys with a constant water flow from a hose. We made sure the water flowed in the correct direction and captured the results to include in the report for our client.

The Site

The Westbourne is a large, affluent residential property in Notting Hill. With five to eight floors (depending on the elevation), the team were careful not to disturb the communal garden to minimise interference to the residents in-house and the neighbours.

Challenges

Due to the size of the building, access was the first challenge, especially for the tile repair and replacement. While using the MEWP with rope access, synergy was paramount for the team to navigate, with constant communication between our ground and height teams.

We managed this communication with walkie-talkies and radios, maintaining safety and cohesiveness to our approach and execution throughout the roofing repairs and tile replacement. The second challenge was to fix all the leaks. Due to the size of the building, the roof and gutter system had to be checked thoroughly and tested. After completing the water testing, our client and the Spectrum team were satisfied. 

However, it could have been a much more complex job for our clients to organise without our in-house capabilities to clean gutters, provide an expert roofing report and our roof tile replacement service.

It can be a headache for clients to deal with multiple contractors. Luckily Spectrum has a wide range of capabilities across access methods and property maintenance and repair services. So, we could take care of every detail, saving our client time and money.

The Result

In two weeks following the pre-site assessment, Spectrum managed to clean the entire guttering system, fixed the leaks and replace all the broken slate roof tiles.

Here is a summary of our process from start to finish:

• The pre-site assessment provided the strategy for gutter cleaning and hybrid access.
• We sourced a MEWP to gain access to the roof while using abseiling techniques to conduct a comprehensive roofing report.
• We cleaned the gutter on ground level using specialist patented Spectrum equipment before cleaning the roof gutters using the MEWP.  
• We checked the gutter lining on the roof and drainage system to ensure it was fully functioning.
• Our report revealed multiple defects on the roofs, which we photographed and suggested recommended action.
• The client asked us to make measurements and source slate tile replacements for the roof.
• The tiles arrived the next day, and we assailed the roof again to fit the replacement tiles and make repairs.
• We water-tested all areas of the property to ensure it had the necessary water flow and no leaks.

Thanks to our invaluable in-house capabilities, we could offer a comprehensive service without involving more sub-contractors.

Now with a fully functioning roof and drainage system with checked and confirmed water testing, our client was satisfied with our gutter cleaning and roof tile replacement services. They also had a photo log and record of the investigation for future reference.

If you need roof tile repair or gutter cleaning services in London, feel free to get in touch.