We can feel the approach of Winter in the air, and that means you need to double-down on the maintenance of your roof.
Leaks that crack and stain the ceiling can also undermine the structure of your home and ultimately cause thousands of dollars in damage.
As an experienced real estate agent, I tell homeowners time and again that it’s cheaper and less stressful to get ahead of property maintenance.
If you can see your roof is a ticking time-bomb, fix it. What is the point of waiting for it to flood a bedroom, your living room or the kitchen?
Here’s a list of tips to check for any signs of potential trouble.
- Get into the roof cavity – You’ll find a maintenance hole in the ceiling that gives you access to the roof cavity. Grab a ladder and get up there. Have a look around for any signs of light coming through.
- Check the insulation batts – If you find one or two that feel more compressed than the others, it’s possible water has leaked on to them. Usually, the ceiling directly below will show an ugly brown stain, but not always.
- Seal the deal – Check for any gaps around chimney seals if you have a fireplace.
- Get into the gutter – Outside the home, you need to check the gutters. These can hold grime and dirt that washes off the roof when it rains. Sometimes, plants can take root up there. Ultimately, the gutter becomes rusty and blocked, and rainwater will cascade down the inside of your walls. That’s not the kind of water feature that sells!
- Crack alert – Cast a thorough eye over the tiles, flashing and mortar for cracks. Depending on what you find, and where you find it, you may want to call in a roofing expert to fix any flaws.
- Discolored roofing – This can be a sign of the roof slowly losing its integrity. If you see this, you should call in a roofer for an expert opinion.
- Grime’s a crime – If mold, algae or dirt has accumulated on your roof, you need to wash it away to avoid it eating into your roofing material. This will help keep it in tip-top condition.
- Be real with external seals – It’s easy to pass over this essential part of the roof. Water can get into every nook and cranny, especially in a big thunderstorm or a few days of constant rain. Watch for broken or incomplete seals and cracked mortar.
- The fix is in – Usually, it’s pretty simple to fix all these problems, it’s just that getting onto the roof can be terrifying. If you’re game, a caulking gun, rather than a tube, is best if you need to use silicone to reseal or replace the seals, or plug gaps in bricks and mortar. But if you have problem tiles or shingles, it might be safest to call in the experts. They’re the ones who have a good head for heights – and the right equipment.