Property maintenance is an essential undertaking for both domestic homeowners and commercial businesses. Without a careful and considered approach to evaluating the state of your property or premises, issues can crop up with devastating consequences for your building and budget. This is especially important to reckon with in times of economic uncertainty, where catching a problem before it develops could be the difference between a small call-out cost and major costly renovations.
Your roof is particularly important to monitor over time, being continually exposed to the worst of the elements and crucial to weatherproofing aspects of your property. Even small roof issues can cause greater problems down the line, such as broken tiles leading to water ingress, damp, and even electrical issues.
While there are some simple things you can personally do to check on the state of your roof, it is inadvisable to attempt work on it yourself. Roof renovations and repairs are a matter for skilled trade professionals, and any diagnoses you make should be backed up with expert opinion and response. With that said, how should you approach monitoring the state of your property’s roof?
Inspect Regularly
The first step to a well-maintained roof is regular inspection. You should be aiming to check your roof for potential damage and issues around three times a year – a timeframe which also allows you to properly monitor potential issues before they develop.
There are some key things you should look out for when inspecting your roof. Naturally, you should be on the look-out for loose, broken or missing tiles; you should also be checking your gutters for debris and blockages, and for evidence of UV damage. With regard to the latter, extended UV exposure can damage protective layers of roof material.
Replace Damaged Materials
If there are any glaring examples of broken or missing materials on your roof, these will need to be replaced imminently. Again, this is not a DIY task, and a professional should be called in to evaluate and carry out the repairs on your behalf.
If the repairs are looking relatively extensive, this may be a good opportunity for renovation. You could speak to your chosen tradesperson about installing a dry ridge system to replace any mortar-fixed ridge tiles, mitigating the future possibility of mortar deteriorating and water ingress occurring.
Clean Out Gutters
Inspections are a good time also to clear debris from your gutters and soffits. In gutters particularly, a build-up of organic matter can lead to blockage and drainage issues. Sustained blockages allow water to wear down roofing mortar and make its way into your attic space.
Clearing gutters is a simple enough task, but nonetheless dangerous. Either hire a professional to do so on your behalf or do so with another person watching and ‘manning’ your ladder.
Mitigate Growth
Lastly, it is important to monitor the growth of organic matter on your roof in general. Moss and lichen can cause serious issues if left unattended. Simple chemical treatments can be applied to kill off any growths and preserve the health of your tiling.