What Bunbury throws at roof plumbing
Fronts that dump it
The cold front of 16 May 2005 brought up to 80 mm of rain in 24 hours to parts of the South West and cut power to more than 100,000 customers. Downpipes and outlets that cope with a normal July day can be overwhelmed by a day like that.
Wind gets under the edges
Flashings, cappings and gutter brackets are often the first things wind gets hold of. The 2024 tornado and storm damaged more than 440 Bunbury properties, and the SES attended more than 70 callouts to Bunbury homes on the day of the 2005 tornado. A lifted flashing is a leak waiting for rain.
Bay or inlet, not just distance
Bunbury sits on Leschenault Inlet, Koombana Bay and the wider Geographe Bay. Cape Naturaliste keeps out the big ocean swell, but BlueScope's TB-35 still classes Geographe Bay, Koombana Bay included, as exposed, and exposed water carries the same limits as breaking surf. Only Leschenault Inlet is listed as calm. Distances run from the high water mark, so ask the roof plumber how far your house is from each.
Which steel where
Gutters, downpipes and fascia have their own BlueScope bulletin, and it doesn't care which class the water is: Zincalume, standard Colorbond and Coolmax want more than 200 m from any salt water, and Colorbond Ultra more than 100 m. On the roof itself, Colorbond Classic and Matt want more than 200 m from surf or exposed water like the bay, Ultra more than 100 m, and SUPERDURA Stainless can go at any distance.
What a roof plumber does
In WA you'll often hear "roof plumber" for the trade that installs metal roofs, gutters, downpipes and flashings. Typical jobs are refixing or replacing lifted flashings, adding downpipes, replacing rusted box gutters and valleys, and sealing around penetrations like vents and solar mounts.
Our national page on roof plumbing covers the full scope, and flashing and valley repairs explains the most common fix after a storm.
What to look for from the ground after a storm
- Flashings lifted or bent where the roof meets walls, chimneys or a patio
- Gutters pulled away from the fascia or sagging between brackets
- Downpipes knocked loose or pulled off at the gutter outlet
- New water stains on ceilings or eaves linings
- Ridge or barge cappings sitting out of line
Questions for a Bunbury roof plumber
- Is my house nearer the inlet, which is calm, or the bay, which is exposed, and how far from the high water mark?
- Which steel are you using for flashings and gutters, and is it listed for that distance?
- Are there enough downpipes for a day like the May 2005 front?
- Are the flashings fixed and sealed to stand up to strong wind?
- Is this storm damage I should claim, and will you put that in writing?
- What's your registration or licence number? (Check it on the WA Online Licence Search.)
Our take
We'd get flashings and downpipes checked in April, before the storm season and the wet. If anything is being replaced near the water, we'd have the roof plumber measure the distance and name the steel in the quote, because the wrong grade near the coast is money spent twice. After a storm, a quick look from the ground with the checklist above tells you whether to call someone.
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.