ROOFLIGHTS & ROOF VENTS
Up on the roof
Tracey Jackson, business development manager at Howells Patent Glazing, explains the importance of a
professional and precise roof light installation in achieving optimum product performance and keeping
call-backs to a minimum
There are many challenges to
installing a roof light, not least
understanding the differences
between a preformed roof light
and a bespoke glazed product. But above
all, it’s appreciating how much damage a
poorly installed roof light can cause, not
just to the building, but also the reputation
of the fitter and manufacturer. In an age
where everyone’s a critic, it’s crucial that
every job is top notch!
Working at height
Installing a roof light requires adequate
access equipment with fall-safe and
edge protection. By their very definition,
roof lights require the installer to work
at height, often a precarious operation.
Working at height remains the biggest
cause of fatalities and major injuries
(source: hse.gov.uk).
Planning is crucial for a safe and
accurate installation, regardless of the
product type. Access can be the biggest
hurdle and often requires thought and
planning early in the order process.
Depending on the size of the roof light,
manual handling is possible but, in some
instances, a more industrial solution,
such as a crane or hoisting apparatus, is
required. Again, this can be ascertained
during the order and design stages.
Communication between all parties is
crucial for a safe and complete delivery
to site.
Competent and qualified
The fitting should be supervised and
carried out by competent installers who
have the skills, knowledge and experience
to do the job accurately. All of our fitters are
NVQ qualified installers, for example. We
work together to continuously improve our
delivery and installation processes. For our
supply-only customers, we include written
installation instructions with every delivery.
It’s simple but very effective.
For regular customers we offer a selection
of installation training sessions with the
added benefit of them being supported
on-site by our qualified fitters, until they are
proficient. All of our customers have access
to video installation guides.
Assembly
The Health & Safety Executive recommends
that as much work as possible is completed
on the ground. This isn’t always possible,
but steps have been taken by some roof light
manufacturers to speed up the installation
process and create a low-risk working
environment by preassembling the roof light
before it arrives on-site.
Having supplied roof lights for more
than 40 years, we understand the value of a
well-made product, that’s relatively simple to
fit with minimal steps required to complete
the job. Manufactured in our ISO 9001
certified facility, each completed roof light is
assembled in the factory. Once assembled,
the product is photographed from a variety
of angles, with shots of key features and
notable points for installation. These are
then shared with the customer. This not only
acts as a point of reference for us and the
customer, but it also gives added peace of
mind to all involved.
Of course, pre-assembling the roof
light for delivery is determined by the
loading and height restrictions of the
transport, manual handling constraints
and access to site. We are limited to 20ft
using our own fleet, anything over that
is disassembled and then reassembled
(if requested) at the other end. The
beauty of this is that as it has already
been assembled, all the holes are predrilled
and so will fit together first time.
Performance matters
Independently tested for
weathertightness (BS 6375 Part 1) and
resistance to snow and permanent load
(EN 14351), Howells’ aluminium roof
lights are thermally broken for superior
thermal performance, achieving a
U-value of just 0.7 W/m²K. A poor
installation would have a negative
impact on the thermal efficiency of the
roof light. Ultimately, all our roof light
products are designed to keep out the
bad weather, a substandard installation
would compromise these design
benefits.
As well as domestic applications,
our roof light systems can be installed
on commercial projects. It has proven
performance on modern builds and
historical restoration, including schools,
business centres, nursing homes,
airports, shopping centres, public
buildings and those of national historical
significance.
w www.howellsglazing.co.uk
Planning is
crucial for
a safe and
accurate
installation of
a roof light
56 www.rcimag.co.uk November 2018
/hse.gov.uk
/www.howellsglazing.co.uk
/www.rcimag.co.uk
