When it comes to caring for your home, your roof is often little more than an afterthought. While you may rarely see it, if you’re looking to minimise damage or prolong its lifespan, it is essential to take a little extra care and enact some preventative measures before they get any worse. So, here are our three top tips for taking care of your roof and some simple steps to ensure you enjoy the biggest benefits for as long as possible.
Know the danger signs
While significant damage to your roof is audibly and visually apparent – such as falling trees or smashed slates – there are many less obvious visual cues that your roof needs a little TLC. These include:
Dipping: Take a moment to check the straightness of your roof compared to that of your neighbours. If you notice a dip toward the middle, this is an early sign of structural damage that could lead to tile loss, water damage, partial collapse, or worse. This can be a concern for older homes with heritage roofing that use period materials or those that have recently been renovated and the build has not been successfully deployed.
Dampness: Checking your attic for water damage can be easy to miss in damp climates or warmer months. Keep an eye out for the familiar fusty smell, dissolving carboard boxes, or a blistered or cracked MDF floor if your attic has one. This can be caused by missing or misaligned tiles or a broken seal around your chimney and should be addressed to stop the problem at its source.
Debris and detritus: Essential in the wetter months, checking your gutters for obstructions such as leaves, animal leavings, and organic matter can prevent overspill. If left unattended, the gutter can easily separate from your wall due to water damage and the weight of compacted mulch. It is also helpful to check your guttering for mortar, tile fragments, or reside from shingling and take preventative action if required.
Carry out regular checks
Taking a diligent approach to giving your roof a quarterly once-over can seem like overkill, regular inspections can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run. If you are conducting a check, you’ll want to make sure you tick of some – if not all – of the following things.
Moss Growth: Alongside looking visually unappealing, this can easily separate tiles; weakening them and increasing the risk of water damage. Visible Light: Checking your tiling for visible light during the day can quickly let you spot gaps and cracks.
Drafts: Feeling wind or spotting areas where dust has been blowing can reveal holes in your tiling which can impact your home’s ability to retain heat and eventually cause tiles to be displaced or fall off.
Nesting Animals: While it can be cute to have bird nesting in your home, their ability to enter and exit and leavings can cause long-term damage and attract other creatures.
Missing tiles: A quick five-minute targeted inspection can easily help you spot gaps and cracks that would otherwise go un-noticed. If two or more tiles are missing in the same spot, check for water damage and look into contacting a roofing company as quickly as possible.
Know when to call the professionals
While there is no need to get a professional team out at the drop of a hat, it is important to make sure that you know when to get them involved. Getting in touch with a local provider will allow you to get a bit of advice about your roof and how best to proceed. It is only when you have fully validated your needs that you should finally decide to employ them to address your build.
If you want to find out more about how we could help with your roof, especially if you are in the Huddersfield and Wakefield areas, please do not hesitate to contact our expert team directly and let us know exactly what you need to take care of your issues.