Check Your Roof Before It’s Too Late

The roofs of all buildings whether they are residential, commercial or industrial are subjected to constant battering by the elements at all times of the year and cold weather such as frost or snow are not the only elements that can cause damage. Intense heat and prolonged periods of rain can also have a detrimental effect on the fabric of a roof. Recent high winds, for example, in the South East of England have caused some major structural damage to many homes and business premises, buildings both old and new, which just goes to show that you can not put off checking your roof simply because it is relatively new. If the weather conditions are severe then even new roofs on new homes can sustain damage.

Perhaps it is simply that we do not see our roofs up close on a regular basis as we do our windows, paintwork and the internal fabric of a house that we tend not to maintain our roofs as regularly as we should. If we see peeling paintwork inside our homes or a cracked tile or rotten woodwork then we are likely to take immediate action to repair and improve our home and prevent further damage. The fact that roofs are, for the most part, not easily accessible means that we generally have to pay someone to check for damage – and if there isn’t any damage we feel we have wasted a significant amount of money paying a roofer to get up a ladder just to check. Nevertheless, don’t let saving money tempt you to get up a ladder yourself to check whether a home renovation is required. Roofs are often much higher up than they look and the cost of paying a roofer, who will be skilled and experienced at climbing ladders and has the right safety equipment, is better than risking falling and injuring yourself. Also remember that you could damage an otherwise sound roof by walking or manoeuvring on it if you don’t know where or how to stand on the roof tiles – all things that a professional will be well aware of.

In commercial buildings there is often an obligation to carry out maintenance checks on a regular basis which there isn’t the same obligation in a residential property so mostly it is our own homes that suffer from lack of maintenance – and, of course, there is a greater financial impact to commercial premises as the result of any serious damage such as having to relocate staff or having stock ruined due to a leaking roof.  And yet the disruption and cost of a serious leak in our homes can have a major impact on our lives (and wallets).

And as recent weather conditions have shown, rain is are not the only thing likely to cause a problem with roofs – high winds are just as likely to do some serious damage by loosening tiles and even blowing off chimney pots. So don’t leave it until it’s too late – check your roof now before the winter weather gets worse.