How to Inspect Your Roof From Inside Your Roof Space

If you have an older roof or think that your roof might have a problem, then you can do a quick internal check from your roof space. This check is a lot safer for you than climbing a ladder to get on your roof. It can also help you spot damage and potential problems.

What should you look out for in your roof space?

Look for Signs of Movement

When you first get into your roof space, do a quick scan of the inside of the roof. It should look even and follow its external lines.

If you see signs of sagging or if parts of the roof look out of place, then you have a problem. This might be movement in your membrane. Sags that are more serious could indicate a failing roof.

Look for Signs of Leaks and Water Damage

If your roof has some damage, then it might not be watertight any longer. Some water is likely to come through into your home.

Sometimes, you can immediately spot the problem. You actually see fresh water. For example, you might see a pool of water on the floor, a wet line down a wall or drips coming down from the inside of the roof.

Don’t assume that everything is all right if you don’t see any water. Water coming in through a small leak in the roof might have dried up if the weather has been dry recently.

Therefore, you should also look for signs of older problems. For example, you might see discolouration on floors, walls or timbers. Your roof insulation might feel slightly damp in parts, or parts of it might have changed colour or texture.

If you’ve had an ongoing problem, then you might see spots of moisture, mildew or mould in the space. It might smell musty and mouldy up there.

If you still aren’t sure if your roof is sound, then you can go into your roof space when it is raining. If you have a leak, you should be able to see it then. If you can’t wait for bad weather, then you can have someone hose down the roof systematically from one side to the other. You can then follow the water to see if any comes inside.

Looks for Signs of Incoming Light

A sound roof should completely block out light from outside your home, so a quick light check in your roof space can tell you a lot about the state of your roof.

You should do this check during the day when it is light outside. Once you’re safely in the space, turn off any lights or torches. Look around the inside of your roof. If you can see any light coming through, then your roof does have a problem.

For example, if you can see a large space of light, then you might have lost a tile from the roof. Lines, chinks or spots of light could be a sign of damaged or misaligned tiles. Light in the corners or around vents might be a problem with flashing.

If you have any concerns about your roof, contact Homestyle Roof Painters. We can check the condition of your roof safely and quickly. If you do have a problem, we can fix it for you.