Renewing the roof: how to tell it’s time
The roof protects your house from rain, wind and cold. Because you rarely see it up close, damage is often noticed late. The end of winter is a good time to take a closer look. You should take these signs seriously.
Signs from outside
- Slipped, broken or missing tiles: water can get in here.
- Heavy moss or lichen growth: it keeps moisture on the roof and can damage the covering.
- Damaged junctions: leaks around chimneys, roof windows or dormers are common causes of moisture.
- Deformed roof surface: if the roof sags or looks wavy, the roof structure should be checked.
- Defective gutters: if water doesn’t drain properly, the facade and roof edge suffer.
Please don’t climb onto the roof yourself. A look through binoculars from the ground or photos taken from a window are enough for an initial assessment.
Signs from inside
- Damp patches or water stains on ceilings and sloping ceilings
- Gaps letting in light in the loft, through which you can see outside
- Missing underlay: on older roofs the covering often sits directly on the battens.
- Cold or overheated attic rooms: a sign of missing or inadequate insulation
- Musty smell or mould in the loft
Repair or renewal?
Individual damage can often be repaired. But if several problems occur at once, the roof is very old or there is no insulation, a renewal is often worthwhile. The advantage: covering, underlay and insulation are renewed in one go and match each other. Only a specialist on site can judge whether a repair is enough.
Think roof and insulation together
When the roof is re-covered, it’s the best moment for insulating from outside – the attic rooms remain largely usable. If you are also planning facade insulation, the junctions at the roof edge should be considered at the same time. Roof insulation may be eligible for funding. New every month from December: our funding update.
What you can prepare for the site visit
- Year the house was built and – if known – the year the roof was last renewed
- Photos from outside and of the loft
- Notes on spots that are damp or draughty
- Free access to the loft
How we can help
At Corpus Bau, our own master roofer leads all work on the roof – from repairs and re-roofing to roof insulation. Scaffolding, electrical work and roof plumbing are also handled by our own specialists, and for a loft conversion our architects and our engineers are involved in the planning.