News & Media

In our latest monthly media coverage roundup, we highlight some of the top articles that have covered our rooflights in the trade and consumer press. Find out more below.

Are you considering buying a rooflight or roof lantern for your home? If you are, call Roof Maker on 0116 269 6297. Our rooflight experts will help you to choose the right solution for your needs. Alternatively, visit our showroom or get a quote online.

In 2018 leading British roof light manufacturer, Roof Maker were celebrating after successfully being awarded a trademark for its range of Slimline roof lanterns. The trademark reinforced the fact that the Roof Maker Slimline roof lantern was the slimmest available on the UK market at that time.

The innovative design of the Roof Maker Slimline Roof Lantern combines sturdy, insulated construction with a clean, contemporary aesthetic. In addition, the glass unit seals are 80 per cent deeper than competitor’s products, significantly reducing the risk of condensation and increasing product life expectancy. This also enables Roof Maker to be the only manufacturer to offer a 20-year glass unit guarantee across all of its rooflights.

“We are delighted to have been awarded a trademark for the Roof Maker Slimline roof lantern,” commented Vanessa Howard, Chief Marketing Officer at Roof Maker at the time. “We were the first manufacturer to bring a Slimline roof lantern to the market and have been selling them in greater numbers than any of our competitors for a number of years now. Whilst other brands may be using the term slimline, the successful trademark application proves that Roof Maker’s roof lanterns are officially the slimmest available in the UK and this is something we are very proud of as a business. It goes without saying that as a business Roof Maker will seek to protect this trademark at any opportunity. The successful trademark is also further proof of our commitment to continue to deliver market leading and innovative products to our customers, making sure we offer the very best solutions available.”

It is the innovative slim glazing bars and ultra thin aluminium-capped glazing joints that made Roof Maker’s Slimline roof lantern the slimmest available at the time. Its 40-degree pitch also allows rainwater to flow off, eliminating the risk of unsightly dirt build up over time and the Reflex glazing will deliver a Ug-value as low as 0.7 w/m2k.

Roof Maker’s Slimline roof lanterns also feature a built-in insulated upstand, which is fully thermally broken with super-insulating Styrofoam. Conforming to all safety standards and building regulations, the units have also been thoroughly weather tested against BS 6375 Pt 1 to all safety standards and building regulations.

The clever modular design can be supplied in flat pack form for easy and safer lifting on to the roof, eliminating the need to hire a crane. Alternatively, a builder’s kerb can also be supplied for a really simple and fast installation.

To find out more about Roof Maker’s extensive range of rooflights and get a free quote, call our product experts on 0116 269 6297

Roof Maker’s new Passive House Flat skylight has set a new standard in energy efficient rooflight design, achieving the prestigious Passive House standard and accreditation from the Passivhaus Trust.

If you’re wondering what all this means and how it could benefit your property, read on.

What is Passive House?

Passive House is an aspirational standard of energy efficiency, designed to dramatically reduce a building’s ecological footprint.

The standard originated in Europe, back in 1988. Its name comes from the German term, Passivhaus. The first Passivhaus residences were built in Germany in 1990.

The Passive House standard

Achieving the Passive House standard is no mean feat. To do so, a product like an energy efficient rooflight must pass rigorous testing and meet strict criteria.

Two of these criteria are that the building must:

• Prevent heat loss, achieving a set limit on the amount of air that can leak out
• Maintain a comfortable temperature, achieving set limits on its heating/cooling requirements

The importance of Passive House

Passive House standards:

• Keep your energy bills to an absolute minimum
• Reduce your CO2 emissions by reducing your use of fossil fuels
• Help to counter the threat of climate change
• Save our limited natural resources, giving us more time to find renewable alternatives

The cost of installing Passive House elements is generally outweighed by their energy saving potential.

Roof Maker is a world leader in green innovations

Since 2001, Roof Maker has been designing innovative, contemporary products that combine outstanding energy efficiency rooflight performance with timeless style.

To avert climate change, we understand the need to cut carbon emissions and conserve our precious natural resources. While UK Building Regulations have tightened to meet these ends, we have always strived to do better.

Through ongoing research and development we have created products that far exceed the requirements of the Building Regulations, offering superior insulation and significant energy savings.

Impressively the rooflight has achieved Passive House standard with a three-pane triple glazed unit, rather than the four or five panes you might expect. Keeping the number of panes to a minimum results in a lighter unit that transports easily and is quicker to fit.

Listening to our customers

At Roof Maker we work closely with our customers, using your feedback to continually research and develop better products.

When it comes to rooflights, you have told us you want:

• To increase the natural light in your home
• Classic designs that will suit your property — whether it’s old or new
• Glass that is easy to keep clean
• A manageable unit that is quick and easy to fit
• A built-in upstand, prefabricated to the optimum angle
• A durable product, guaranteed to last

But you don’t want:

• Your heating bills to increase
• Your rooflight to create a ‘greenhouse effect’ in hot weather
• Chunky frames that collect dirt and obstruct the light flow
• Sun damaged fabrics and furnishings

The Passive House Rooflight fulfils all these criteria.

Benefits of the Passive House Flat Energy Efficient Rooflight

The Passive House Flat Rooflight:

• Features a contemporary frameless design to let in more natural light
• Offers exceptional insulation to prevent heat loss, draughts and condensation
• Retains the warmth from your heating appliances in cold weather
• Keeps your heating requirements and bills to a minimum
• Has Solar Control to keep your room cool and comfortable in warm weather
• Blocks harmful UV rays and prevents your furnishings and fabrics from fading
• Has a self-cleaning coating, which reduces the need for manual cleaning
• Is triple glazed for a lighter, more manageable unit that can be moved easily
• Has a built-in upstand for quick and easy fitting
• Carries an industry-leading 20-year unit seal warranty and a 10-year guarantee against frame discolouration, cracking and shape deterioration

Energy saving potential

Like many Roof Maker products, the Passive House Flat Rooflight is triple glazed as standard. The unit comprises three 6mm panes of glass, separated by argon-filled cavities.

Research has shown that replacing single glazed or old double glazed units with triple glazing can cut your energy bills by 50%, if your home is properly insulated.

Find out more

Roof Maker is a world leader in the design, manufacture and supply of high quality rooflights and bi-fold door systems — including the new Passive House Flat Rooflight.

Our premium glazed products are designed to transform your living space into a bright, comfortable and energy efficient space you will enjoy for many years to come.

The first thing you need to know when installing your rooflight is how flat your roof is. To do this, you need to measure the slope in the roof which is known as its pitch.

Rooflights need to be installed at an angle to encourage rain water to run off instead of pooling.

If water pools, it can cause dirt to collect on the rooflight which could also cause staining. That’s why our rooflights have an Easy Clean glass coating to discourage dirt from sticking.

There is also the risk of the membrane being damaged if any pooled water freezes.

It is therefore best to install your rooflight at an angle of at least five degrees.

Measuring your roof pitch

When measuring your roof pitch there are three types of measurements to make:

• Run – the horizontal distance between the peak of the roof and the wall.
• Rise – the height of the peak above the wall.
• Span – the distance between the walls. It may be helpful to measure this too.

Measuring from the rafters

When there’s no roofing material to cause an uneven surface, measuring from the rafters should give you an accurate measurement.

You can measure the roof pitch from the rafter in the attic, or from the overhang of a rafter in the roof, or even from a barge rafter at the side of the gable.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Position one end of the carpenter’s level against the underside of the rafter, and adjust it until the bubble is centred between the two lines.
2. Find the 12-inch/30cm mark on the carpenter’s level. If yours doesn’t have markings, use a tape measure to mark on where 12-inches is.
3. Measure the vertical distance from the carpenter’s level to the rafter. When you measure the distance from the 12-inch/30cm mark to the underside of the rafter, make sure your carpenter’s level stays in position.
4. Work out your roof pitch, which is the ratio of the rise to the run.

Measuring from the roof surface

You can also measure your roof pitch on the roof surface but you’ll need to make sure it’s safe to walk on and be careful not to injure yourself.

Once you’re safely on the roof, you’ll need to measure as follows:

1. Place your carpenter’s level against the roof and adjust it until the bubble is between the two lines. If your roof is particularly bumpy, then try laying a flat board down so that you can get an accurate reading.
2. Measure the vertical distance from the roof to level by holding the 0-mark of the tape measure against the roof and extending upwards, so it’s perpendicular to the carpenter’s level. Once the tape measure has reached the 12-inch/30cm mark, write down the vertical distance measurement.
3. Work out the pitch slope, which is the rise over the run.

If you don’t have a calculator to hand, you can use a roof pitch calculator online instead.

How to install a flat rooflight

If your flat roof has been built with a pitch greater or equal to five degrees then you can proceed with a standard installation.

This video shows you how to create the right angle and install your rooflight too.

If you have further questions, one of our experts will be happy to advise you. Just call us on 0116 214 7151.

2017 has been an exciting year for us. From new product launches to interactive sections on our website, we really do have something to celebrate. We wanted to take a look at our Roof Maker 2017 highlights, as we’re so proud of what we’ve achieved… and we’re looking forward to seeing what 2018 brings us!

Launch of Our Interactive Map

How much time do you spend rushing around, oblivious to the beautiful architecture around you? We’re all guilty of it.

That’s why we wanted to celebrate some of the UK’s most stunning glass roofs, with our interactive map. From Liverpool Central Library to Birmingham New Street train station and Crystal Palace, these iconic buildings have beautiful glass roofs that are designed to let natural light flood in.

With our map, you can click anywhere in the country and see a selection of the UK’s most iconic glass roofs. But not only that, we wanted to see where in the country our rooflights were most popular: so, you can also see how many rooflights we’ve sold in different cities. We think it makes for some interesting viewing!

Interactive Rooflight Selector

We didn’t want to just stop there with the interactivity, so we also created an interactive rooflight selector.

Rooflights are a big investment, and we want to ensure that you choose the right ones for your home. With our skylight picker, you can now easily identify which window is right for you, depending where you want to install one in your home, and what your roof is like.

Simply click on each area of the interactive house to find out about our range of different skylights, and where they’re best suited to. Of course, if you have any more questions then just get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.

Four New Glazing Options

When it comes to purchasing your rooflight with us, you don’t just select the frame. In 2017, we launched four different types of glass for you to pick from.

Each type has been developed to combat a distinct need: energy saving, temperature control, noise pollution and security.

No matter which glass type you opt for, you can be sure that it will filter out up to 100% of harmful UV rays, and are low maintenance; featuring a special coating to protect against sources of dirt such as air pollution and bird mess.

Take a look at our four types of glass, and get started with building your own bespoke rooflights.

Our Most Popular Product: Fixed Flat Rooflights

Sometimes the simplest designs are the best. This year we launched our lower priced double glazed fixed flat rooflights, and they’ve since become our most popular product.

Providing exceptional heat insulation, noise reduction and light insulation, we can provide these non-opening rooflights in bespoke sizes at no extra cost.

Rise of Our Pitched Rooflights

We’re pleased that our pitched roof windows have been so popular, with a surge in sales over 2017.

If it’s a contemporary feel you’re after, then these are the rooflights for you. The inside view is frameless, allowing up to 49% more natural light to enter your home.

Our pitched windows were shortlisted for the “Best Roofing System or Product” at the BuildIt Awards 2017, and we’re really proud of the recognition they’ve achieved.

Reynaers Partnership

2017 saw an exciting collaboration for us with Reynaers, the industry-leading door manufacturer.

Their bi-fold doors all feature heavy duty hinges, premium handles and thermal insulation, which is perfect for the colder months.

The best part? They perfectly match our range of rooflights, so you can mix and match for a sleek and sophisticated feel in your home.

Summary

As 2017 draws to a close, we’ve enjoyed looking back and seeing the achievements we’ve made as a company. We’re also equally looking forward to the year ahead. What will 2018 bring us? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Roof Maker has made it into the finals of Build It Awards under the categories of Best Windows and Best Roofing Product and secondly in the London Construction Awards for Innovation of the Year which means a possible success of three awards for the Fixed Flat rooflight.

This is an unprecedented year of success as Roof maker celebrates 15 years in business delighting customers all over the UK with an innovative range of rooflights and more recently with bifold doors. New innovation in 2016 of the Luxlite rooflight has added to the portfolio for customers seeking a premium pitched rooflight with similar qualities to the current rooflight range.

The fixed flat rooflight has shone through as one of the flagship products for Roof Maker with market leading thermal performance and minimal glazing bars to give a flood of natural light. The key features of this product that are:

• Minimal aluminium frame design so you get no obstruction and more sky view
• Triple glazed as standard with unrivalled thermal performance also reducing outside noise
• Easy clean external glass coating protection aids the cleaning process stops build up of mould?
• UV blocking safety glass as standard protecting you and your furniture house contents from harmful sun rays
• 20 Year unit seal warranty and 10 year product guarantee ensures products are made to last using highest grade materials with stringent environmental performance
• No extra charge for bespoke sizes which means you can get exactly what you want.

The Build It Awards recognised that Roof Maker focuses on creating high performance glazing that harness the natural light with market leading super insulating properties to fit every domestic self build or renovation project. This means translating light to lifestyle, solving the need for customers wanting to connect their lifestyles with the harmony of natural light and a seamless link to the outside for an enhanced living environment.

Our triple glazed Flat Rooflight features a market leading U Value of 0.6W/m2k and this is up to 60% better at reducing heat loss than the very best A rated double glazing, ensuring your room stays warm and preventing cold spots near the doors or under rooflights.

When you consider just how much heat can be lost through high performance A-rated double glazed rooflights the decision to go triple glazing is clear. If you stand near double glazing you can still feel the cold spot as heat is still being lost through the glazing. Condensation is also a risk on cold nights when you turn up the heating but with triple glazing this is eliminated. Roof Maker fixed flat rooflight products come with Triple glazing as standard giving you great thermal performance.

If you would like to see the products that so impressed the Build It Awards, then why not book a showroom visit now or alternatively we will be exhibiting at the Homebuilding & Renovating Show in London 23-25 September and we still have a limited number of free tickets!