Marley Eternit has launched the new SoloFix one-piece clip and nail to help contractors get ready for the changes to BS 5534, the Code of Practice for Slating and Tiling, which were announced at the end of August.
Time trials conducted on a house-builder’s development by roofers from Bracknell Roofing have proven that the new system can save up to 30% on roof clipping time.
Gavin White, product manager at Marley Eternit, said: “As a result of the changes to BS 5534, roofers will have to clip more tiles than ever before. However, installing traditional two-piece clips isn’t a popular fixing method as it is often viewed as time consuming and costly.
“We developed SoloFix specifically to address this problem and our own internal tests found there was a 30% time saving over traditional clips, but we wanted to get independent verification from live site trials. That’s why we decided to carry out the roof fixing race with the help of Bellway Homes and Bracknell Roofing. The time trials proved that using the one-piece clip and nail was almost a third quicker, representing a significant labour saving and helping to reduce the possible time and cost consequences of the more stringent fixing standards.”
The fixing time trials took place at a Bellway Homes site in Burton upon Trent on a single block of two houses, with duo pitch roofs. Traditional clips and nails were used on one side of the roof while the new SoloFix one-piece clip and nail was used on the other. The roof fitted with SoloFix took 30% less time to clip than the one that was fixed using traditional clips and nails.
SoloFix is made from ZiAl and delivers a high strength, high performance solution, which can be used for all UK exposures including corrosive marine environments. The product’s launch follows the recent announcement of a more stringent British Standard, which will require an increase in clipping on all roofs from the end of February 2015.
Gavin White added: “We want to help contractors to implement these changes, so as well as launching new products and providing technical services, we are also working with the NFRC to offer training courses in the new BS 5534 standard.”
The free half-day courses will be held at venues nationwide over the coming months, with each member also receiving a free copy of the standard. Marley Eternit says the sessions are vital because it is now a membership requirement of the NFRC that at least one representative of each member business attends a BS 5534 training course before the end of 2015.
Mr. White concluded: “We know that the introduction of more stringent fixing requirements may seem onerous and over cautious to some contractors, but it is necessary to ensure that roofs in the UK are secure enough to withstand increasingly extreme weather events. Roofs that are being fixed now will have to endure whatever weather we face in many years to come and we need to future proof them against more volatile conditions.”
To view the Solofix time trials visit: www.youtube.com/MarleyEternitLtd.
