Every storm season brings wild nights — sideways rain, branches down, gutters running like rivers. The roofs that sail through are rarely the newest; they are the ones somebody checked in advance. An hour of preparation on a calm weekend beats a week of buckets and tarps after the fact.
You do not need to climb up yourself. Most of the important checks happen safely from the ground with a pair of binoculars, plus a ladder only if you are comfortable and it is footed by someone else. Anything that actually needs feet on the roof is a job for a licensed crew with harnesses — that is exactly what our free inspections are for.
The pre-storm walk-around
Start with the gutters and downpipes: scoop out leaves, flush them with a hose and watch that water runs away freely instead of spilling over the back into the eaves. Then scan the roof surface for lifted sheets, slipped tiles and ridge caps sitting crooked — wind gets under loose edges and peels from there. Trim back any branches hanging over the house, make sure outdoor furniture and loose sheets of yard material are tied down, and check the seals around antennas, flues and skylights for cracked sealant.
Pop your head into the roof space with a torch. Old water stains on the timbers mark previous leaks worth fixing before the next deluge tests them again. If daylight shines through where boards should meet, send us a photo — small gaps are quick to seal when found early.
When wild weather hits
If water starts coming in, contain it with buckets and towels, switch off power to any wet light circuits, and photograph everything before moving anything. Then call for a make-safe: our emergency line runs around the clock, and a tarp secured the same night stops one damaged section becoming a whole-house repair. Never climb onto a wet roof in wind — no leak is worth a fall.