How to check your roof after a storm

After a heavy storm, homeowners often head straight outside to see whether everything is still intact. Rightly so: a displaced roof tile or a loose lead flashing is small at first, but lets water in at the next downpour. Spotting damage early prevents wet insulation, mould and rot in the timber. In this blog you will read how to check your roof safely without going onto it yourself, what you can do as a temporary measure and when to call in a roofer straight away.

⚠️ Never go onto the roof yourself after a storm. Tiles may be loose, the roof is often still wet and slippery, and gusts of wind can throw you off balance. A fall from a roof often ends badly. Repairs on the roof are work for a roofer, with fall protection and the right equipment.

Your own safety first

Wait until the storm has really died down. When you go outside, look up first: loose tiles, branches or pieces of gutter may still come down.

• Keep away from the wall if tiles or parts of the chimney look loose. Cordon off the area if necessary.
• Is a power cable hanging down or lying in the street? Stay well away and call the grid operator.
• Do you smell gas, or is a flue or chimney damaged? Do not use naked flames or appliances, leave the house if necessary and call a certified installer or the grid operator straight away.
• Wear sturdy footwear, such as safety shoe, and work gloves with nitrile coating when clearing debris or branches.

Step 1: check the roof from the ground

Walk around the house and look at the roof from a distance, preferably from across the street or from the garden. A phone with a zoom function helps you see details.

• Roof tiles: can you see tiles that have shifted, broken or gone? Are there fragments in the garden or on the pavement? A gap in the pattern is usually easy to spot.
• Ridge tiles: the tiles on the ridge catch a lot of wind. Check that the row is still straight and complete.
• Chimney: is it still upright, free of loose bricks or cracks, and is the cap still in place?
• Lead flashings and joints: the lead around the chimney, dormer and roof windows can be blown up. A raised edge lets water in.
• Gutter and downpipe: is the gutter still straight, or has it come loose or bent? Are there branches or leaves in it blocking the water?
• Flat roof or dormer: can you see loose edges of the roofing, blisters or displaced gravel?

💡 Take photos of everything you see, even if you are unsure. Note the date and time. That helps the roofer assess the damage and is useful if you want to report it to your insurer.

Step 2: check the loft from the inside

The loft often tells you more than the outside. Go up during the day and take good light with you, such as a rechargeable LED flashlight, a LED headlamp or a rechargeable LED work lamp. Read more about choosing work lighting in our blog on work lights.

• Can you see daylight through the roof boarding or between the tiles?
• Are there wet patches, rings or drips on the boarding, the rafters or the insulation?
• Do you notice a musty smell or damp around the chimney and roof windows?
• Has insulation shifted or become wet?

In the loft, only walk on the floor or sturdy parts, never between the joists over the ceiling of the floor below.

Step 3: limit leaks temporarily, indoors

If water is coming in, you can limit the damage indoors until the roofer arrives:

• Place a 16 litre bucket under the leak with a cloth in it to stop splashing.
• Protect floors and belongings with masking film or a impregnated 4 x 6 m tarpaulin.
• Remove wet insulation or belongings if it is safe to do so, and ventilate.
• Is the water getting close to lights, switches or sockets? Switch off the relevant circuit in the fuse box and have the installation checked by a certified installer before using it again.

Laying a tarpaulin on the roof is work for a roofer: on a wet, damaged roof it is life-threatening. With duct tape you can at most fix sheeting temporarily indoors, not repair the roof.

Step 4: clear up safely around the house

• Pick up fragments and blown-off parts wearing garden gloves with latex coating or work gloves with nitrile coating, and safety goggles when breaking or sawing.
• Sweep leaves and small twigs on the patio together with a fan rake or a street broom with long bristles.
• Small broken branches on the ground can be cut to size with a folding pruning saw. Is a large branch hanging in a tree or on the roof, or is a tree leaning against the house? Leave that to a tree surgeon or roofer.
• If you work outside in the rain, a Aqua rain jacket, Aqua rain trousers and garden wellington boots keep you dry. Also read our blog on rainwear, warm workwear and work gloves.

When do you call a roofer straight away?

Calling in a professional after storm damage is never unnecessary. Call straight away in any case if:

• tiles, ridge tiles or parts of the chimney are loose or missing;
• water is coming in or you see wet patches in the loft;
• lead, roofing or roof edge trim has come loose or lifted;
• the gutter is hanging loose or bent;
• you are unsure about what you see.

👷 A roofer works with a safety harness and fall protection, a safety helmet and the right ladders or scaffolding. He also spots damage you miss from the ground, such as broken battens or damaged underlay, and repairs the roof so that it lasts for years again.

Working safely

• Do not go onto the roof, nor onto a ladder against the gutter, after a storm. Leave work at height to the professional.
• When clearing up, wear work gloves with nitrile coating against sharp fragments and splinters, and safety goggles when sawing or breaking.
• Wear sturdy shoes with a steel toe cap or anti-perforation sole, such as safety shoe.
• Stay away from damaged power cables and from the smell of gas: call the grid operator or a certified installer.
• Do not work alone, and not in the dark if you can avoid it.

Prevention is better: getting your roof storm-ready

Have your roof inspected regularly by a roofer, for example every autumn. He can secure loose tiles, check ridge tiles and press down lead. Keep the garden around the house tidy yourself: prune branches hanging over the roof and secure or bring in loose items. Read more autumn tips in our blog on getting your home ready for winter.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a displaced roof tile back myself?

No, not after a storm and not without fall protection. Even putting back one tile means going onto the roof. Leave it to the roofer.

How quickly should I act?

As soon as possible, especially if rain is forecast. Limit the leak indoors and call a roofer.

What if I see nothing but still have doubts?

Have the roof inspected. Small damage to lead or battens is often invisible from the ground.

Where can you find everything for this job?

At Saniso, the online store for DIYers and professionals, you will find tools, materials and personal protective equipment for your job.

• Browse our construction tools and our workwear and safety.
• Create a customer account and order easily.
• Working on a bigger project or want to hand over the job? Request a project quote.
• Book a showroom visit, at least 24 hours in advance.
• Not sure which material suits your job? Get in touch with us.

In doubt about the approach? Feel free to call in a professional.

Saniso – Build your home with Saniso.