maintenance

Sedum
A Green Roofs Naturally extensive green roof is created using a variety of sedum plants that will grow and carpet the roof surface. Sedums are low growing succulents – plants with thick fleshy leaves and stems. They are also extremely drought tolerant which makes them particularly suitable for growing in the harsh conditions found on a roof. We use a variety of sedum, to ensure maximum coverage & diversity as each species prospers under particular seasonal or weather conditions.

We recommend that clients take out our maintenance contract for the first few years to ensure the initial establishment and upkeep of the sedum plants. The maintenance requirements of an extensive sedum roof will be affected by their situation. Professionally installed or planted extensive and wildlife roofs are specifically designed to be self maintaining. As with all of Nature, Sedum change appearance along with the seasons. Some species change colour entirely, from green to red or their leaves will become much smaller; it is a “living roof”. Customers are therefore advised that the roof will not always look ‘Green’ and that as with the plants in your garden, the roof will not look as ‘fresh’ throughout the winter months as it does in spring and summer. Plants die back and will look brown and woody. In the spring these can be cut back, otherwise they will naturally rot away. A certain degree of ‘maintenance’ is about the aesthetics of the way the roof looks.

Maintenance Agreements
If you wish to take out a maintenance agreement the details will be confirmed within the contract prior to installation. The contract will take account of the specific features of your roof, size, pitch, site, accessibility and will be costed at a price per m² per visit. An Extensive Green roof will generally only require two maintenance visits every year. The frequency and level of maintenance of the Green roof is down to the discretion of the client/building owner and the plant appearance they wish to maintain. After the first two years, when the roof is well established, you may wish to review your maintenance requirements.

Maintenance Regime
Green Roofs Naturally recommend two visits per year carried out by our approved contractor, to ensure the guarantee of function. Ideally these would be in the spring time and autumn.

The maintenance regime would include:

• Removal of debris and dead vegetation from the roof surface, drainage outlets, guttering and washed pebbles, etc.
• Weeding and removal of grass / saplings (purely aesthetic.)
• Sowing of additional sprouts to repair patches of poor growth
• Application of maximum 30gm² of slow release, low nitrogen fertiliser- if we assess this to be beneficial to the plant growth. Green Roofs Naturally ensure that the maintenance is carefully designed in order to maximise the quality of the water runoff.
• Review Inspection Chambers and ensure that water outlets are all free draining.
• Clear and clean all perimeter and detailing surrounds [e.g. pipe upstands]

In severe drought it is recommended that the plants receive a small amount of irrigation, though this is largely unnecessary in the UK climate, unless the roof has a steep pitch. Green Roofs Naturally’s low density “Nutrifoam”® mat absorbs up to 25 litres of water per square metre, assisting plant growth and minimising any such need for additional watering.

Any maintenance should be carried out by the Green Roofs Naturally team who installed your roof. They are fully trained and qualified in the installation and maintenance of our system. The visits would be arranged at your convenience and carried out in a professional and considerate manner.

Access to the roof will be required in order to carry out routine maintenance annually. As with all roofing projects, Green roof installations must comply with relevant Health and Safety requirements. Under current legislation, a fall arrest system, safety harness attachments or man safe systems should be used to ensure safety during installation and to allow for routine maintenance.