What Roof Maintenance Should I Be Doing Each Year?

Most roof repairs start as small problems nobody noticed. This checklist covers what to look for, when to look and which jobs belong to a roofer.

Look at the roof from the ground in spring and autumn, keep gutters and valleys clear of leaves and debris, check the loft after heavy rain, and get anything unusual looked at before winter. That routine catches most problems while they are still small repairs rather than leaks.

None of it needs you to climb onto the roof. If a check can only be done from a ladder or the roof itself, it is a job for a roofer.

What to look for from the ground

Stand back far enough to see the whole roof, with binoculars if you have them. Look for slipped, cracked or missing tiles and slates, gaps along the ridge, mortar missing from ridge and hip tiles, and lead flashing that has lifted around the chimney or where the roof meets a wall. Check the chimney stack for leaning, cracked pots and crumbling pointing.

Take photos each time. Comparing them year on year makes slow changes, like a ridge line starting to dip, much easier to spot.

Gutters, valleys and debris

Blocked gutters are behind a large share of the damp and rot we see. Leaves, moss and silt stop water flowing, so it overflows onto walls or backs up under the bottom row of tiles. Clearing them after the leaves drop in autumn, and again in spring, is the single most useful maintenance job.

Valleys, the channels where two roof slopes meet, collect debris too. A blocked valley sends water sideways under the tiles. Clearing valleys and removing debris from the roof itself needs safe access, so it is best done by a roofer with the right equipment rather than from a ladder.

The loft tells you things the outside cannot. On a bright day, look for daylight showing through where it should not. After heavy rain, check the underside of the roof around the chimney, valleys and the bottom of each slope for damp marks or drips. Look at the insulation for wet patches and the timbers for dark staining.

Heavy condensation, with droplets on the underlay or mould on the timbers, is a ventilation issue rather than a leak, but it needs attention just as much.

Moss, flat roofs and chimneys

A little moss does no harm on its own, but thick growth holds water against tiles and washes into gutters. Our moss guides cover whether to remove it and how to do it without damaging the roof. On flat roofs, check for water still sitting days after rain, blisters and splits. On chimneys, look at the flaunching on top and the pointing down the stack.

Note the date of each check, what you found and any work done, along with the photos. It takes minutes and it helps a roofer see how quickly something has changed. It is also useful if you ever sell the house, because buyers and surveyors often ask when the roof was last looked at and what has been repaired.

Call someone in if you spot missing or slipped tiles, lifted lead, damp in the loft, a leaning chimney, or anything that has changed since last time. After a storm, a quick check from the ground is worthwhile before the next spell of rain. A short visit to deal with a few loose tiles or a blocked valley costs far less than repairing the damage a winter of leaks can cause.

How often should a roof be checked?

A look from the ground each spring and autumn, plus after any big storm, catches most problems early. Loft checks after heavy rain help too.

Is it safe to clear my own gutters?

Ground level gutters may be, with care. Anything needing a tall ladder, or debris on the roof and in valleys, is safer left to a roofer.

Does moss damage roof tiles?

Light moss is mostly cosmetic, but thick growth holds moisture, can lift tiles and blocks gutters, so it is worth dealing with.

What is the most common cause of roof leaks you see?

Small problems left too long: slipped tiles, blocked gutters and valleys, and lifted flashing around chimneys.

Can you carry out roof maintenance visits?

Yes. We clear gutters and valleys, refix loose tiles and check the whole roof, reporting anything that needs further work.

Rather someone else went up?

We can clear the debris, refix what is loose and tell you honestly what else, if anything, needs doing.

Evans Roofing & Maintenance Ltd, Witney, Oxfordshire. Call 07960 482233 for a free written quote.