Frequently Asked Questions ……………… ?

What colour roofing felts do EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited make?

As standard, EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited roofing felts are manufactured with the following slate granule finish (please note that colour variations are possible between different production batches of the same colour slate granule finish felts. Roofing felts in these colours are stocked at all branches of EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited).

Grey                   Black

Colour Disclaimer: Due to the nature of scanned images and difference in colour monitors, the variations of the colours shown here may vary from the actual product.

What colour roofing felts do Italiana Membrane make?

As standard, Italiana Membrane manufacture roofing felts with the following slate granule finish (please note that colour variations are possible between different production batches of the same colour slate granule finish felts. EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited stock Italiana Membrane roofing felts in all these colours at all of its branches).

Grigio                 Marrone Mix        Violetto               Bianco               Nero                  

Other coloured slate granule finishes (to special order) include: -

Verde                 Rosso

Other finshes (to special order) include: -

Alluminio 30/40    Rame 45

Colour Disclaimer: Due to the nature of scanned images and difference in colour monitors, the variations of the colours shown here may vary from the actual product.

What colour roofing shingles and roofing felts do Tegola Italiana make?

As standard, Tegola Italiana manufacture polymer modified bitumen roofing shingles and roofing felts with the following mineral finish (please note that colour variations are possible between different production batches of the same colour mineral finish shingles). EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited stock Tegola Italiana polymer modified bitumen roofing shingles in the following colours: - B48, C48, D48, G48, I48 and P48 at all its branches. Other coloured shingle mineral finishes are available to special order. Roofing felts in all the coloured mineral finishes are available to special order.

A48 Rosso T100               B48 Rosso Scuro              C48 Nero                        D48 Ardesia                    E48 Grigio Cattedrale       F48 Marrone Chiro            G48 Marrone Scuro

H48 Verde Chiaro             I48 Verde Scuro             M48 Grigio Chiaro             N48 Blu Chiaro                P48 Rosso Stufmato         Q48 Testa Di Morro         U48 Blu Scuro

Other types of shingle (to special order) include: -

Scandola Rame (manufactured from Copper sheet).

Colour Disclaimer: Due to the nature of scanned images and difference in colour monitors, the variations of the colours shown here may vary from the actual product.

What shape roofing shingles do Tegola Italiana make?

Tegola Italiana manufacture bitumen roofing shingles in the following shapes. EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited stock the Castor and Classic shapes at all its branches, other shapes are available to special order.

What is the life expectancy of bitumen based roofing felts as used on a flat roof?
Based on construction industry experience estimates, standard bitumen roofing felts have a life expectancy range of between 5 years to 30 years dependent on the actual bitumen roofing felt used (Italiana Membrane polymer modified bitumen roofing felts have a life expectancy of 10 years to 35 years), although with good care and annual maintenance it should last in excess of this.

What is the life expectancy of bitumen based roofing shingles as used on a pitched roof?
Based on construction industry experience estimates, standard bitumen shingles have a life expectancy range of between 10 years to 20 years dependent on the actual shingle used (Tegola Italiana polymer modified bitumen shingles have a life expectancy of 35 years to 50 years), although with good care and annual maintenance it should last in excess of this.

What roofing felts should I use?
This is a difficult question to answer because EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited and its suppliers of such products can supply roofing felts for nearly every conceivable application. As a general rule of thumb though, our product suppliers advise that, if the substrate of a FLAT ROOF is Plywood, Timber or Metal then roofing felts manufactured using SBS Modified Bitumen should be used, as should be the instance if the roofing felts are to be installed on to an existing Mastic Asphalt or Bitumen Felt roof. If the substrate of a roof is concrete then roofing felts manufactured using APP Modified Bitumen should be used. In instances where the substrate is a PITCHED ROOF, then the roofing felt used should be of an APP Modified Bitumen type. If required EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited can offer advice and guidence for specific individual roofs upon application to our companies Technical Services Department based at our company Head Office.

Please Note that before laying any roofing felt it is advisable to lay a small trial area first to ensure the products you have purchased are compatible with the substrate they are being aspplied to!

How can I ensure the materials used to waterproof and insulate my roof will be covered by a guarantee?
By using a company that is an Approved Contractor of EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited and whose employees are also Approved Installers, will not only ensure that the EDS Waterproof Membrane products they use are correctly installed but also covered by an Insurance Company guarantee. Other types of guarantee are available when others install our products.

How can I ensure the roofing contractor I use to install the materials used to waterproof and insulate my roof is reputable, trust worthy and will do a good job?
The Names and Address’s of our Approved Contractors and Installers can be obtained upon request from our company’s Head Office based in Lutterworth. Included amongst the many checks that have to be satisfactorily passed prior to becoming and whilst being an Approved Contractor or Installer are those of workmanship and financial status. Approved status is viewed as form of recognition within the construction industry and as such highly prized, with those approved keen to maintain their approval. We do though recommend that prior to entering into a contract with anyone for your roofing requirements that you make your own personal checks and seek recommendations into those with whom you are entering into a contract with.

My roofing contractor keeps on about a 3 Layer system, what does he mean?

In an old fashioned traditional felt roofing system, the 3 Layer expression refers to the three layers of felt (venting layer, underlay, cap sheet) which are bonded together with hot bitumen that sits either on top of the insulation (if being used) or directly on top of the roof deck. As illustrated on our Product Applications Page, Italiana Membrane manufactures roofing felts that can be used as a SINGLE LAYER!

My roofing contractor talks about using only a 2 & 4, what does he mean?

When a roofing contractors who only works on domestic properties refers to a 2 & 4, he is refering to the fact that he is intending to use only a 2Kg or 2mm underlay and a 4Kg cap sheet. Whilst this is perfectly allright for waterproofing a domestic garage, shed or carport, it is not advisable to have the main roof of a domestic propertry waterproofed in this manner.

People in the roofing trade refer to a 'Cap Sheet', what is this?

A cap sheet is the top layer in a bitumen roofing felt waterproofing system, normaly this has a granule slate finish, but can also be a plain finish felt that is painted with a solar refective felt.

How many million square metres of EDS Waterproofing Membranes products have been laid on roofs in the UK?
In excess of 2,000,000 square meters annually, and this figure is increasing year on year.

Can I purchase EDS Waterproofing Membranes products direct from EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited?
Yes – Although often the convenience and price that a stockist of our products can offer together with their local knowledge is often more beneficial for purchasers of our products.

Do flat felted roofs need to be covered with stone chippings or slate granules?
No, in normal circumstances only those bitumen felts manufactured using SBS modified or Oxidised bitumen compounds require protection from ‘ultra violet radiation’ as given off by the Sun’s ray. Although stone chippings and slate granules in addition to providing protection for the roof from ultra violet radiation, they also providing a decorative finish and can reduce problems caused by extremes of temperature and surface spread of flame. Waterproof membranes manufactured using an APP modified bitumen compound, although not requiring protection from the Sun’s rays to the same extent as SBS modified or Oxidised bitumen compounds, stone chippings or slate granules do provide decoratively pleasing finish and can reduce problems caused by extremes of temperature and surface spread of flame.

What is the difference between chippings and slate granules?
Slate granules are small flakes of natural slate or coloured ceramics as embedded onto the surface of some roofing felts during their manufacture as an alternative to the usage of stone chippings, which are bonded to a roofing felt with an adhesive after the felt has been fixed in place.

What is the fire rating of roofing felt with a slate granule finish or covered in stone chippings?
F.AA to BS476 part 3. Although this is dependant upon the actual build-up of the waterproofing system being used.

Do EDS Waterproofing Membranes products meet the latest European fire standards?
Yes - Special formulation waterproofing membranes are available which meet all the current European Standards (EN 1187/1, 2 & 3).

Why do some edsulation insulation products have waterproof membranes already bonded to them?
To enable a roof to be insulated and waterproofed quicker and safer than conventinal insulation and waterproof products. edsulation is also a fire retardant product.

What is the ‘U’ value of a roof waterproofed in EDS Waterproofing Membranes products?
The ‘U’ value as applicable under Building Regulation is a calculation which gives the thermal loss of heat transmission in a structure, therefore EDS Waterproofing Membranes products in particular edsulation, whilst not having an individual ‘U’ value, will when used as part of a roof construction surpass current Building Regulation requirements.

Do the roofing felts EDS Roofing Supplies sell have any type of certification?

Yes - All the roofing felts available under the EDS Waterproof Membrane, Italiana Membrane and Tegola Italiana brands are CE certifed. Additionaly most of these products also have Goverment creditation in the form of ISO, I.T.C, BBA (UK), I.C. I.T.E (Italy), BAM (Germany, BOVERKET (Sweden) C.S.T.B (France), FGW (Austria), IAB (Ireland), ICCET (Spain), UBAto (Belgium), SBK (Denmark), LNEC (Portugal), NBI (Norway), VTT (Finland), CEN (Comitee de European Normalisation), EOTA (European Organisation for Technical Approvals).

Why do EDS Roofing Supplies not promote their single ply products as much as their bituminious product ranges?

As a company EDS Roofing Supplies pride themselves on being able to supply its customers with products of unquestionable first class quality and not prone to any form of failure. All the products that we supply are recognised by construction industry professionals as being of premier grade quality, some bituminious products themselves can be used as a single layer product. Like many others in the construction industry, we believe that a single layer bituminous product 5mm in thickness such as the Scudoelast P4 bituminous waterproof membrane is far superior in all aspects of performance to any 1mm or 2mm single ply type product. It is for this reason that EDS Roofing Supplies (Midlands) Limited divested its self from all its interests in the Polisystem single ply products in 2002.