Most storm damage is found weeks after the storm, usually because of a stain on a ceiling. By then water has been sitting in the roof structure for a while. The good news is that a lot of it can be spotted from the ground, safely, with nothing more than a careful walk around the building.
Start at the bottom, not the top
Walk the perimeter and look at the ground first. Fragments of tile or slate on a path or in a border are the clearest sign that something has come off. So is grit or mineral dust washed out at the bottom of a downpipe, which suggests a flat roof covering is breaking down.
Look along the roof line, not at it
Stand at the corner of the building and sight along the roof rather than looking straight at it. A slipped tile, a dip in the ridge line or a lifted edge shows up in profile when it is invisible face on. Do the same along the gutter line: a section sagging away from the fascia has usually taken on water it cannot drain.
Check the junctions
Roofs almost always fail where two things meet. Look at the base of the chimney, at the point where a lower roof meets a wall, and along any valley. Lead that has lifted, split or been sealed with mastic in the past is worth having looked at properly.
Inside the loft, on a bright day
If you can get into the loft safely, go up during daylight with the light off. Pinpricks of daylight through the roof covering, damp timbers, or a dark stain on the underside of the felt all tell you where the water is arriving. Photograph anything you find, because it helps a roofer quote accurately without a second visit.
What to leave alone
Do not go on the roof. A wet or storm damaged roof is unstable, and a tile that has already slipped will slip again with weight on it. If something is hanging or has partly detached, keep people away from underneath it and call somebody who can make it safe from a ladder or a tower.
If you have found any of the above and you are in London, Kent or Essex, call us and we will come and look at it.
