With a lot of us spending more time at home —and with more drier days— it’s the perfect time to inspect your roof and see what maintenance needs doing.
There are simple roof care measures you can do yourself (which makes for a nice, easy checklist) and if there’s anything you can’t do? Well, that’s where LH Roofing can help!
Roof Safety First
Please ensure you can access and check your roof safely. For example, is your ladder “up to the task”? Do you have anyone who can hold the ladder for you?
If you don’t have a ladder, there are plenty of roof checks you can do from the ground.
However you do this, it’s a good idea to have your phone with you to photograph any roof issues that need to go on the list for closer inspection.
Check Your Roof Guttering
A good place to start is to take a walk around your property and assess the roof guttering.
Look for a build up of leaves and moss in your roof gutters.
A couple of clues that your gutters need clearing are if water overflows from them. Check for watermarks running down the outer walls.
Check to see if the gutters appear to be sagging or pulling away. Will any part of it need attention or replacement?
Make a note.
If your guttering is in great shape, fantastic! Move on!
Cracked or Missing Roof Tiles
Have a look for missing or cracked tiles. Either with a ladder or by standing back a suitable distance. If any look as though they’re not up to scratch, add it to your roof maintenance “to do” list.
If your property has a chimney, it is worth looking at as any loose parts can cause damage to the tiles on your roof.
This happened the other day, with a roof repair in Trowbridge I carried out…
It’s natural for the tiles on your roof to “weather” (it’s what they’re designed for) but failure to replace any missing tiles could lead to costly repairs down the line. Dry weather is the best time to prep before the weather turns bad!
Roof Flashing
Another roof check that’s worth doing is to take a look at the flashing around your chimney. The function of this is to provide a watertight seal between any roofing materials, roof sections and any other parts of the building. It might be built-up around your chimney, and you will be able to see, at a glance, what shape it’s in.
Correct flashing is critical, and if it hasn’t been installed correctly, water will be able to run between the roofing systems and structure.
Take a look in your loft if you’ve looked at your flashing and it’s looking a little tired. There should be no sunlight coming through your loft and no areas of damp.
Fascia (Roof Trim)
Lastly (because no-one wants a laundry list of chores/home-repairs!) it’s worth taking a good look at the fascia (roof trim.)
Made of wood or metal, the fascia acts as a layer between the edge of the roof and the elements (water.) It provides a barrier to prevent weather damage to the exterior walls of your home.
If you have a wooden fascia, it can hold moisture and is susceptible to rot and damage. If yours looks to be in bad shape, it’s something you need to get fixed/replaced to ensure that your walls stay damp- & rot-free.
See also: