20 May 3 areas of your roof to inspect over winter
For large parts of Australia, winter is the dry season – when your roof gets a break from the wet weather over summer and has a few months off before the rain returns later in the year.
While it can feel like the worst is now over for a building manager, it’s important not to overlook roof maintenance over winter. This season is the ideal time to inspect a roof, with a few months ahead when repair work can be completed before the next spell of bad weather.
There are a few parts of a roof that need to be inspected at this time of year. To help, we’ve outlined three of the most important to look at on your property:
1) The roof surface
The surface of your roof is the first piece of the puzzle that needs to be examined as part of a maintenance plan.Issues here will depend on the material used to construct the roof – tiles, for example, may need to be replaced over time as they chip or break. On the other hand, a concrete roof will need to have an intact waterproof membrane to ensure no water is leaking through to the rest of the structure. And, as always, corrosion is the nemesis of metal roofing.
2) Guttering
Even though winter is a drier period, large numbers of dead leaves can still gather on a roof surface. When the first large downpour does occur, built-up residue in gutters can cause significant issues for your building.The solution is to inspect gutters for any buildup of leaves at this time of year to make sure they can handle any rain in the future. By keeping gutters clear all year round, it is easy to prevent more serious maintenance issues.
3) Flashings
The joins, flashings and sealants around the roof perimeters, as well as roof penetrations such as sewer vent pipes, skylights or air conditioning plants, are among the most vulnerable parts of the building. That’s why anyone inspecting a roof will need to pay attention to these points to ensure there is no risk of water seeping in and damaging the underlying structure.No matter what maintenance issues you are facing, make sure to call the expert team at R&BS. With years of experience, they have the skills and knowledge to inspect a roof and identify any problems before the dry winter months come to an end.