Help! My Roof Is Leaking

Bet that is one phone call you don't want to be making. Do you? But never fear help is at hand. Making regular inspections of your roof and getting the appropriate assistance from an expert roofer can save you a lot of money, time and heartache down the line.

So how can you tell that there's a problem with your roof?

Internal inspection of your rooms

Whether you have a town house or a bungalow the rooms below your roof will also be able to tell you if you have a problem.

The tell-tale signs that you have a problem include:

• Damp /wet walls
• Mold on the walls
• Puddles of water on the floor

Loft / roof space inspection

Here's a little tip, you may want to take a torch, and some chalk with you. Why? I guess you can work out the torch yourself? But the chalk is to mark any possible dark or damp patches or suspect areas you may want to re-inspect later. Doing an inspection either during or after heavy rain may also make it easier for you to spot any damp patches or leaks.

Once you've checked inside the roof space turn out the light. You can then look for chinks of light from outside, shining through. If you find any holes use a nail or piece of wire in the hole to visibly mark them from the outside.

What to look for out on the roof.
Well it depends what kind of roof you have?

Slate or tiled roofs:

• Are they in good condition?
• Are the tiles the same shape, size and texture?
• Are any broken, or chipped?
• Check for straight lines, if any of the rows appear to be bowing it's unlikely to be completely weatherproof.

Flat roof: a flat roof may leak for many reasons:

• Felt: may become softened, ripped or torn
• GRP/Fibreglass: may become cracked or damaged
• The boards on which the roof is placed may have become soft or water damaged.

If you notice anything that you think looks irregular, or you think that this is really too much for you to do yourself. Then please take no chances, get on the phone and call in a professional roofer. They are more experienced, the job that might take you hours to prepare for and do, can be carried out quickly and efficiently and they might even see things you would have missed.

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