You may not know that your roof needs repairing or replacing until it starts to cause significant damage to your property. There is some warning signs that you should be aware of, so that you can have it sorted before it gets to this stage. By doing so you could save yourself time, money and inconvenience further down the line.
How old is your roof?
Roofs don't last indefinitely and as they get older the condition of them can worsen, especially if they haven't been maintained adequately. It can be beneficial to have it checked out by an expert and have any replacements made before it deteriorates too much. If you do so every 15 years you have a better chance of limiting any additional damage to your property.
Water damage
Check around the ceiling area of your upper storey to see if there are any early warning signs of water damage, which could be caused by a leak in the roof. This can include damp patches, watermarks or mould. Many home owners think that this is caused by another problem, such as poor ventilation or a leak in the plumbing system, but it is actually coming from the roof.
You can see daylight
Go into the loft or attic and look around to see if any daylight is coming through the roof. Even the smallest of gaps could lead to major problems from just a little bit of water leaking through.
Roof tiles missing
When you're examining the roof it's important to check it from the outside as well as from the interior of your property. Look up to see if any of the tiles are missing and do a visual inspection from on the roof. As the weather gets drier you might not give this your immediate attention, but a heavy storm can soon make the issue worse. It's far more effective to have a roof repaired when you first spot signs of damage.
Check the gutters
It's not only a good idea to clear out your gutters regularly to stop debris building up and causing leaks to run down your property, but looking in them can also highlight roof problems. A collection of shingle that has built up in the gutter is an indication that the condition of the roof is worsening.
Look closely at the chimney
When you're on the roof you should have a look near any vents and the chimney. Areas of damaged flashing can allow water to get underneath the roof. This could then potentially cause damage to the roof tiles, causing them to sag or buckle, as well as being a source of leaks.
It's a good idea to do one of these checks on your property twice a year. This way you won't allow the issue to go unresolved for too long and should be able to deal with it before it leads to too much structural damage.