6 Signs That Your Roof Needs Maintenance

Your roof isn’t something you check every day, but it’s such an important part of your property, and you need to take care of it. But with so many things to think about on a daily basis, it’s easy to forget about monitoring and maintaining your roof until it’s too late.

However, checking your roof several times a year can make all the difference. It can help you to spot any signs of damage or weakness early on, so you can avoid trouble further down the line.

You should also look out for the telltale signs that your roof might need a little TLC all year round. To help you do this, we’ve pulled together a list of six of the biggest signs that your roof needs maintenance.

1. Water damage

If you start to notice damp patches or watermarks in various rooms of your property, it can be easy to assume that these have come from the windows, a pipe or a spillage. However, these can be a sign that your roof needs replacing.

Even the smallest watermarks should be a red flag, and you need to do some investigating and look at your roof. That way, you can get ahead of it before larger sections need to be removed and replaced completely.

2. Mould and moss growth

Another important sign to look out for is mould, mildew or moss on both the inside and outside of your home. Lots of moss growing on the outside of your roof can force the tiles apart and begin to let in water.

Similarly, if you’ve started to notice patches of mould or mildew inside, this could be a sign that your property is starting to get damp, and water might be slowly seeping in.

If you find any problematic mould, moss or mildew around your property, particularly directly on your roof, it’s a good idea to address this right away and stop it from getting any worse.

3. Light coming through

Whether you’re going into the loft or just the upstairs bedrooms, before you switch on the light, take the chance to quickly scan the ceiling. It’s best to do this around sunset as it’s starting to get dark, but the sun is still up.

If you notice any beams or even specks of light coming through, no matter how small, this is cause for concern. This could mean you have a hole or crack in your roof, and you need to fix the damage immediately to stop it from getting any bigger.

4. Loose tiles

As we said earlier, it’s a good idea to check your roof a couple of times a year just to make sure everything is still OK. As part of this inspection, it’s important to check for any loose roof tiles. This also applies if, at any point throughout the year, you spot a tile that has fallen or gone missing.

In either case, it’s vital to address the situation right away and replace the loose, missing or damaged tiles. This will not only stop your roof from leaking, but it can also stop a potentially dangerous situation should a tile fall on a passerby or the roof begins to collapse. So it’s crucial to act quickly.

5. Sagging

A huge sign that there might be structural damage to your roof is if you begin to notice sagging in any areas from the inside. Your roof should always be in a straight, strong line, so if it’s not, this could be a problem.

If you see that it is beginning to sag from anywhere inside your property, this could be a sign of dampness or damage, and you need to sort it out right away.

6. Leaks

Last but certainly not least, one of the biggest red flags for roof maintenance is if you spot a leak coming through your ceiling. If you have an attic, it is likely to start there, so be sure to check this regularly to ensure there is no water coming through.

It can be a little bit trickier without an attic but look out for signature dark patches and, of course, dripping water coming through from the ceiling.

If this happens, you need to get these areas patched up right away before the damage spreads, and you end up having to replace your roof entirely.