If you have got water coming in from your ceiling, or there are signs of damp from the corners of any upstairs rooms, then chances are your roof may be leaking. At this point, it’s best not to jump to any conclusions (such as “Oh no! I need to get a new roof fitted!”). Instead, what you should be doing is finding out the exact cause of such roof-related issues, so that you can make an informed decision as to how best to tackle the problem.
Checking your roof from the ground
If possible, walk away from your house and then when you are far enough to see the entire side of the roof that is facing you, check for any loose or missing tiles or slate. If you cannot get a clear sight of your roof (at least in the area where you know there is damp on the ceiling or walls, or there is water coming from to one of the upstairs rooms), then going up in the loft is going to be your best bet.
Checking your roof from inside the loft
The first thing you should do is go up into your loft and try to establish internally where the source of any water leakages are. The best time to do this is when it is raining, as you will then be able to easily identify the source of the problem. You will need a ladder to get into your loft, alternatively Fakro loft ladders remove the need to have a ladder lying around upstairs for loft access.
When it is next raining, and you head up into the loft, what you need to do is check all of the main timbers and joints between the timbers and the walls. All of the joints should be tight, all of the timbers should be dry and solid, and there should not be any evidence of rot or damage from insects.
If you live in an older house, you should be able to see the battens that are supporting the tiles (unless the battens are covered over with felt). Should you see daylight anywhere, then you have got a missing or damaged tile or slate in that part of the roof.
Inspecting your roof
Getting up on the roof isn’t a job for the faint-hearted, and it is recommended that you leave this to the professionals, but if you fancy going up there anyway (or you are a roofer by trade) then you can get some special roof ladders which are available from hire shops so that your weight doesn’t damage the roof if you tried to climb up using a conventional ladder.
Once you are up on the roof, be sure to check for:
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Loose or missing tiles or slates;
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Sagging gutters and soffits, and loose brackets;
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Blocked guttering;
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Leaking joints in gutters or downpipes;
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Failing or missing flashing (these are normally lead sheets that are used for where the roof joins any chimney stacks or parapet walls);
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Damaged or missing mortar or render;
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A leaning chimney stack or parapet wall;
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Evidence of birds or vermin.
Repairing any problems
Any major repair work should be best left to a roofing contractor, but if you are confident at your DIY skills then you could attempt to carry out any minor repair work, such as clearing gutters of plants and debris or replacing any leaking rubber seals in guttering. Cast-iron guttering can be painted to prevent rust (and subsequent water leaks down the walls and into your rooms).
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