Roofing Tips

It does not matter what your roof is made of. Roof maintenance should be done at least bi-annually. Before winter sets in is a good time. Walk your roof slowly and inspect it thoroughly one section at a time. Get rid of all leaves, branches, twigs and any other debris.

Tips include:

• Look for broken or missing tiles. Clear gutters and downspouts by spraying water with a hose.

• Pay particular attention to roof protrusions where different sections of roofs meet or intersect with walls. Most roof leaks develop in these areas. Roof protrusions are anything that sticks thru the roof, such as pipes, vents, chimneys etc. Remove cracked or dried out caulking and replace with a good silicone caulking. Use a wire brush if necessary and make sure surface is clean and dry. Seal loose bricks and mortar in chimneys.

• Inspect the ceilings and walls on the inside of your home. In most cases a spot on the ceiling will tell you that you have a leak. The first sign of a roof leak should be fixed immediately. You may only realise that a repair is needed on the roof when ceiling stains are noticed in a room after rainfall. This indicates that water is leaking into the roof space. Always repair damage as soon as possible to stop further rainfall damaging the fabric of the house.

Checking the roof from inside

If your roof is unlined, check for daylight showing through. It may need closer inspection. Check the timbers for water staining. If stains are found on the timber, try to find the source of the stain. Slate will deteriorate with age so check for hairline cracks and look for staining on the tiles.

Checking at ground level

Look at the whole roof by inspecting it at ground level. You should be able to spot a tile that has slipped as it will be out of line with the rest. Look for any powdery or flaky substance, known as delamination, which shows deteriorating tiles. Check ridges for gaps in the mortar joints. Check flashings at abutments and around chimney stacks. Check for fallen pieces of mortar, slate etc.

Use binoculars to check if you can not see it too well or a camera with a good telephoto lens.

Checking from roof level

If using a ladder, make sure it is set up correctly and long enough - at least 3 rungs above the gutter. Always work with someone standing near by when you are working at a height.

If going onto the roof always use a correct roof ladder with wheels to avoid damage to the roof.

If you do not have any equipment mentioned above call in a roofing contractor to check your roof or alternatively you can hire the equipment from a D.I.Y hire shop.