It is also stronger than timber or GRP, so aluminium will span further and is more suited to larger structures particularly where bigger openings for doors are incorporated. Therefore, aluminium is more suitable with designs associated with the replacement conservatory roof sector.

Aluminium is also more stable than timber, it doesn’t absorb moisture and is therefore not prone to over expansion and contraction, or indeed distortion through this process, a particular issue with cold roof construction. Longevity of the material far exceeds timber as aluminium will not rot or decay. Aluminium also has greater screw retention, ensuring no over fixing or pull through of fixings during installation which is common with GRP.

These are the main reasons why aluminium is by far the most popular material used in solid roof construction.

Timber is structurally weaker than aluminium. Therefore, when using timber much deeper sections are required making the roof very bulky. This limits the ability to have the top layer of insulation above the timber frame, as commonly seen with house roof construction. This means that most timber framed roofs tend to be a cold roof construction and not a warm roof construction in order to keep the overall depth of the roof to a workable height.

Timber is commonly available, cheap and can be easily modified making this the most common material in house roof construction, but adequate ventilation is required to avoid condensation, which would lead to roof failure – interstitial condensation is a real problem particularly in ‘cold roof’ designs, as described in our earlier articles, this will build up over time without the homeowner being aware until often it is too late. Timber is absorbing and releasing moisture all the time, and so will expand and contract depending on the environmental changes. Moisture retention leads to condensation and the lack of ventilation will mean it can’t escape and caused rot, with many installers offering a minimum 10-year product guarantee, this may be a ticking time bomb for some.

Excessive timber movement may also result in plaster cracking over time. This is more relevant in single storey extensions where vaulted ceiling are most common in design. Aluminium due to its’ nature will prevent this movement ensuring a rigid structure.

The Prefix WARMroof® is a true warm roof and is built around an aluminium chassis (framework), this results in a very strong, stable and robust structure which also allows our customers to use not only lightweight roof tiles, but the much heavier traditional slate or concrete tile finish. The Prefix WARMroof® is strong enough to take those additional loads as well as still being a lightweight, configurable roof system.

Aluminium is also extremely environmentally friendly, being the 3rd most abundant element on the planet with over 70% of that material in use in the UK is from recycled aluminium. So this ‘Green’ material has the added bonus of benefiting the environment.

The original Prefix WARMroof® was launched over 10 years ago and is now outperforming the product guarantees, with roofs still looking as good as they did on the day they were first installed. The use of aluminium within the structure will ensure that these WARMroofs perform and are enjoyed for many years to come, other roofs simply won’t.

Come as see us at this years’ FIT Show (stand V31) where our award winning Prefix WARMroof will be on display alongside our other products including glazed roofs, lantern roofs and our updated outdoor living range of products.