Tips to Prevent Weather Damage to Your Roof

January 22, 2021

The most common cause of damage to a roof is broken roofing materials which become loose or cracked during bad weather.

However, roof repair work can be costly. It’s estimated that owners pay 1-4% of a home’s value per annum on maintenance and repairs, so preventing weather damage as much as possible in the first place could help to eliminate unnecessary costs.

Here we’ve listed five tips to help you prevent weather damage to your roof.

Regular Cleaning

Pooling water can cause severe damage to your home, so ensuring water can run off your roof is essential.

Your roof will have a drainage system, so cleaning the downpipes and gutters regularly will help to prevent a build-up of debris, which can lead to blockages.

Dirt, sticks, and other natural materials can get swept up during strong winds, especially if you have nearby trees or overhanging branches.

Regular maintenance and cleaning will prevent debris from building up, ensuring water can flow away freely.

Keeping an Eye on the Weather Forecast

Staying up to date with your local news and weather forecasts can also help protect your roof from damage.

If you know a storm or severe weather front is coming, you can prep your roof beforehand to minimise the damage – this includes carrying out any minor repairs to prevent them from worsening and causing more harm to your home.

Overhanging Trees

Be sure to take a look at what’s around your roof. Branches from overhanging trees can scrape and damage your roof.

There’s also the potential for branches to break off completely during severe weather and cause significant damage.

Furthermore, the shade trees provide allows moss to grow, which acts like a sponge, so try to keep branches trimmed and away from your home.

Annual Maintenance Checks

While this doesn’t directly relate to preventing immediate weather damage, annual maintenance is essential for protecting your roof in the long term.

If you’re not comfortable climbing up a ladder and onto the roof yourself to check for signs of damage, you can hire a pro to do this for you instead.

An annual exterior checkup will help to identify any areas that need to be repaired.

However, carrying out regular inspections inside your home is important too.

First, you need to look for some common signs of water damage inside your home, which include bubbling paint and dark or brown spots on your walls and ceilings.

Any sunlight coming through your roof is another indicator your roof is damaged.

If it’s rained recently, watch out for signs of damp or leaks as well.