How to Safely Inspect Your Tile Roof After a Storm

Thunderstorms can do a lot of damage to a roof. This is especially true if a roof is already in poor condition when a storm strikes. And even minor damage can cause a catastrophic chain reaction of events where roofs are concerned. One slipped tile can cause a leak that damages your home’s interior. This is why post-storm inspections are so important.

But don’t climb up onto your tile roof. Only a trained professional has the training, experience and tools to walk safely on a roof. But you can still inspect your roof from the ground. Keep the following advice in mind while you inspect your roof after a recent storm.

Use binoculars from the ground

Although you can’t get up onto your roof, you can do the next best thing by using binoculars. A pair of binoculars will allow you to see much of your roof from the ground. And even if you need to find a vantage point across the road from your house, your binoculars will allow you to perform a close-up inspection.

Check for debris

With storms comes loose debris like tree branches and leaves. If you see debris on your roof, the debris may conceal damage. And organic debris, like tree branches, attracts mold, moisture and insects. All of these things will gradually damage your roof.

Don’t try to remove debris from your roof if you can’t reach that debris from a ladder. At best, you could damage your tiles. At worst, you could injure yourself. A roofing professional can remove the debris for you and check the area to ensure that the debris didn’t damage your roof when it fell.

Check for loose, cracked or chipped tiles

Terracotta and concrete tiles are very sturdy. But once damaged, they gradually deteriorate. Damaged tiles also affect the surrounding tiles as they degrade because they no longer slot together in the same way. This paves the way for leaks. Just one cracked tile will let in rainwater and sunlight. Over time, sunlight and moisture will damage the underlayment and, eventually, lead to a leak.

Hire a professional to replace chipped or broken tiles. They can also reposition loose tiles for you.

Check the condition of your flashing

Severe storms can damage the flashing on a roof. Flashing is usually metal, such as aluminium. These long strips of metal seal the areas between your roof and its different sections, such as the chimney, valleys and vents. If the flashing buckles, then water will leak into the exposed space and enter your home.

Look for bent, buckled or detached flashing around chimneys, vents, valleys and skylights. If you see damage, arrange for repairs as soon as you can.

Inspect your gutters

Your gutters will likely contain debris after a storm, especially if you have trees. Leaves, twigs and branches can clog gutters, and this becomes a problem during heavy rainfall. When the rainwater cannot reach the downspout due to a blockage, that water then spills over onto your roof and siding.

Pooling rainwater can weigh a roof down. And if your roof tiles are of heavy concrete, then your roof could buckle under the weight of the water and concrete. If you can’t safely reach your gutters, then hire a professional to clean them and repair them for you.  

Look for signs of damage in the roof cavity

Take a torch into your roof cavity and check for damage. Obvious signs of damage are sunlight showing through the roof, dark patches and sagging. All of these signs indicate that you need roof repair urgently. The longer you put repairs off, the more likely the damage will worsen and the roof repair will become a partial or full roof restoration.

Do you need professional roof repairs after a recent storm? Then you need the services of a reputable roof repair specialist. Call Homestyle Roof Painters today to arrange for roof inspection and repair. We’ll identify any problems and fix them quickly and safely.