Winterproof Your Roof

After a summer of heatwave and drought in the UK, autumn is here - bringing with it the usual mishmash of heavy rain, wind and balmy days followed by who knows what kind of winter - mild and stormy or icy and cold.

All weather has an impact on your roof, impacts which vary depending on what your roof is made of, how old it is, what it has already been through and how well it has been maintained. Drought and sunshine can cause drying and cracking, rain can cause water ingress which can be driven deeper into your roof by wind, which can also tear off tiles or damage structural components. Snow creates additional weight on your roof (not usually a problem unless your roof is already weakened by e.g., water ingress or mould) and ice causes its own major, pernicious damage when water that has got into the roof freezes and cracks apart roofs, or when "ice dams" build up in guttering.

All of this makes Autumn the single best time of year to sort your roof out. But what can you do?

- Firstly, Rain Can Be Your Friend:

Heavy rain can flag roof issues better than any other type of weather. Look for patches of damp and mould. Look for areas where water should be draining but isn't (i.e. it just puddles on the roof). Look for gutters that aren't draining as they should. If you have a loft space and can get into it (and it's free of asbestos), check for dark patches on woodwork and brickwork, oozing water, and daylight. Inspect chimney breasts if you have them - damp patches can indicate damage to chimney flashings. If possible go up when it's raining or just after heavy rain and please make sure you wear a facemask if you have fibreglass insulation (which is seriously damaging to lung tissue).

- Secondly, Check Your House

Inspect walls, ceilings and again chimney breasts if you have them. Damp patches around ceiling edges can indicate damaged/compromised fascias and/or loose tiles.

- Thirdly, Check Outside:

Go outside - Do fascias and flashings look secure and whole? Don't go up on your roof unless you're an experienced professional (we give FREE onsite assessments!) If you call a roofer, ask questions, check credentials, know your options.

PLEASE NOTE MANY OF THESE THINGS CAN BE INSPECTED USING BINOCULARS AND/OR A LADDER. DO NOT GO ONTO YOUR ROOF UNLESS IT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND YOU HAVE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND KNOW-HOW!

Either way you are looking at things like:

  • Detailing, e.g. skylights and outlet pipes for signs that water isn't draining properly
  • Roof flashings (metal, plastic or rubber strips commonly found around chimney edges, skylights and vent pipes). 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.
  • 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
  • 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 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!

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!

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