Looking after the roof on your building is an ongoing process. There are different things to think about at various times of year, but the wise householder has it in the back of their mind all year round. That is not to say you should be worrying about it, but it should be something you keep an eye on all the time, just like you take care of your car or your own health.
Central Scotland is a fine place to live in many ways, but let’s face it, we don’t half get some weather up here, and it seems to be specifically designed to challenge the roof. Wind can damage it, rain can get inside it, snow can put extreme weight on it… even when we get a nice sunny spell, the heat places other strains on the roof, making it expand and then contract, with the potential for cracks to occur, particularly in flat roofs.
We have to be vigilant, then, and here are some things to think about.
Preparing Your Roof For Winter in Central Scotland
This is the sort of work you should be doing in spring, summer and autumn, so it could also be called summer maintenance tips for Scottish roofs. First of all, check it out for general health. If it is fairly new, the roof should look great: neat and tidy, with a symmetrical pattern of tiles or slates.
So, your roofing material: does it look good? It may well do, but how about up close? You can’t say for sure because you can’t get up there to have a good look – and even if you could, don’t do it. Roofs are hazardous places and only an expert should be up there. You can get a local roofer in Central Scotland to give your place the once-over. Oddly enough, in fact, they can probably tell before they even get up there: that’s what experts are like; it’s what they are for. Pick someone you trust, who has perhaps been recommended, and they will give you a general report.
How Are Your Gutters?
It may be that all you need to do for now is get the gutters cleaned, to ensure the rainwater and melting, refreezing snow can get off there in an orderly fashion. That is important because deluges splurging out where they shouldn’t are liable to cause unsightly stains and can also send water to nooks and crannies where it can cause trouble.
Something More Serious?
While we don’t want to imagine problems where there are none, some judicious maintenance now can avoid worse trouble down the line. You roof has to be 100% waterproof, of course, but it also needs to be strong enough to support a heavy snowfall. If it is not up to the job, you need to get the work done in the better weather rather than waiting for the storms and freezing temperatures.
Any sign of water getting in – even a small stain on a ceiling could indicate that – must be dealt with swiftly before it can escalate and threaten your interior with damp, mould, rot and all the other scourges of the past that we have the power to avoid these days.
How About the Insulation?
While we are primarily looking at water as the enemy, let’s not forget the air temperature. If you have no insulation in the loft, you are haemorrhaging heat and your fuel bills are unnecessarily high – and we can’t allow that in the current economic gloom.
Get your lid checked out – that’s the simple message. Get it looked at when the weather is relatively kind, and you’ll be grateful when the storms are raging.
