Blackwood's setting, and what it does to roofs
Wetter than the plains
Blackwood has no climate station of its own in our sources, but neighbouring Belair, at 305 m, averages 724.0 mm a year against 536.5 mm at Adelaide Airport. Gutters and valleys here carry a lot more water.
Creeks, gullies and slopes
The area has many waterfalls, creeks and gullies. Sloping blocks can make ladder and scaffold access harder, which a fair quote should allow for.
Bush on the doorstep
RAA's 2023 list of locations that could be impacted by a bushfire names Craigburn Farm and Eden Hills, which border Blackwood. Leaves in gutters and gaps under ridge caps are where embers find a way in.
Railway-era and postwar homes
Most housing came after Blackwood station opened in 1883 and land was subdivided. The state's postwar heritage survey illustrates 1950s fibro (asbestos cement) housing with a photo of a fibro house in Blackwood.
Mostly houses, some units
In 2021, 80.0% of Blackwood's homes were separate houses and 15.3% were flats or apartments.
Fibro roofs, eaves and gutters
If your Blackwood home has fibro sheeting on the roof, eaves or shed, assume it could contain asbestos until it's tested. SafeWork SA says homes built or renovated before the mid-1980s are highly likely to contain asbestos. Don't cut, drill, sand, water-blast or walk on it, and don't sweep debris out of gutters under an old cement sheet roof without advice.
Which roof jobs come up in Blackwood?
Gutter cleaning and ember guards. Leaf litter left in gutters and valleys over summer is ember fuel, which is why the NSW RFS says to clear it before fire season. Non-combustible guards cut the build-up between cleans. See gutter cleaning in Adelaide and ember guard.
Leaks in valleys and flashings. More rain finds small faults sooner. Roof leak repair in Adelaide explains how roofers trace them.
Replacing old fibro roofs. A licensed asbestos removalist handles the old sheets and a roofer lays the new roof. Asbestos roof replacement covers the order of work.
Where we'd begin in Blackwood
We'd find out what the roof and eaves are made of first, because that decides who's allowed to touch them. After that, we'd book a gutter and valley clean before every summer and ask the roofer to check the ridge caps for gaps while they're up there.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.