Winter Roofing Tips

With the nights drawing in and temperatures dropping, it's time to get your home's "hat" in tip-top condition for the winter ahead. Autumn rains can help to flag problems with leaks, pooling, damp and mould - these should NOT be ignored, problems will only get worse and more expensive.

To assess your roof:

• Check your attic (if it's accessible and free of asbestos). Make sure you have a good source of light - water ingress will show up as damp patches or areas of mould. If possible, go up when it's raining, which will also expose areas of oozing water or leaks. Turn off your light while you're up there to look for little patches of daylight. If you have fibreglass insulation, please wear a face mask for any attic inspections. 
• Inspect chimney breasts for damp patches - these can indicated damaged chimney flashings
• Look around ceiling edges for damp patches as these can indicate damaged/compromised fascias or loose tiles
• Look around other detailing such as skylights or outlet pipes for signs that water isn't draining away properly
• Inspect roof flashings (metal, plastic or rubber strips commonly found around chimney edges, skylights and vent pipes) using binoculars or a ladder. Do NOT go onto your roof unless it is easily accessible and you have proper safety equipment and know-how. New flashings are cheap and straightforward to fit if you know what you're doing - otherwise they can be long, dangerous and ineffective in the long run
• Check eaves flashings and roof edge/drip edge flashings for any signs of rot, or that water is being retained anywhere
• With all flashings: also look for damage, looseness, cracking, warping, loss, wearing or, in the case of metal, rusting through
• Inspect guttering for damage, cracks, splits, looseness or other signs it isn't functioning properly, such as plants growing in it, indicating water isn't draining away.

If you find any problems with any of the above, we recommend calling a professionally trained roofing contractor rather than attempting the work yourself. It isn't worth risking life & limb for your roof, especially when we offer free, no-obligation on-site assessments. 

Winter roofing:

Problems can intensify in the winter because of water ingress (which freezes, causing expansion, then thaws, cracking the surrounding material) as well as build ups of ice, snow and debris, which can cause a range of issues.

Options for fixing roof problems can also be limited in the winter as temperatures (especially subzero) strongly affect material brittleness, bitumin viscosity, the ability of adhesives to set, and worker safety.

In the UK, winter temperatures are generally between 5-10C, meaning we can still work despite short days and interruptive weather fronts, and we have an advantage over other roofing systems in that the polymer system sets so quickly (weatherproof in 30mins-1hour). This means we can still get to your roof and help.

But our recommendation is still, where possible, to check your roof for the above each autumn, before the worst of the weather arrives.

The polymer system is affordable, fast and available UK wide (including Cornwall and the Highlands & Islands). 

For more info, take a look around our website or call us today on 07855 535581

You many also like this article on roof heat loss and insulation through the winter>