When was the last time you inspected your roof? If you’re like most Australians, the answer is probably somewhere between ‘more than a year ago’ and ‘I can’t remember’. Inspecting your roof for signs of damage or general wear and tear is the best way to extend your roof’s lifespan and save you costly roof repair headaches in the long run.

In this guide, we cover the basics to have you confidently inspecting your roof in no time. This includes the benefits of regular roof inspections and how often you should inspect your roof. We also share our top preventative roof maintenance tips to ensure you get some sweet cost savings from regular roof inspections.

Benefits of regular roof inspections

The number one benefit of regular roof inspections is that it gives you a chance to fix minor issues (or bigger ones) before they get out of hand. This includes issues like loose flashings or corrugated iron panels, clogged gutters and broken roof tiles. This means a simple 1-hour roof inspection can give you the following benefits:

  • Maximise your roof’s lifespan: Most Australian roofs will last between 20 and 50 years and sometimes up to 100 years, depending on the materials used. However, regular roof inspections are key to getting the most out of your roof as they help minimise wear and tear over time.
  • Keep maintenance costs low: It’s a lot cheaper to replace a couple of missing roof tiles or re-secure a corrugated iron panel than to deal with the costs of water damage caused by a hole in the roof that’s been left open for several years.
  • Early leak detection: Regular roof inspections are the best way to ensure your gutters are draining properly and your roof is fully sealed. If you do find a leak, you’re much likely to have caught it early before it can cause major damage to your ceilings.
  • Reduce your bushfire risk: If you live in a bushfire-prone area, it’s essential to prevent leaf litter and debris from collecting on the roof and in gutters. And the only way to tell how much is up there is to take a look.

How often should you inspect your roof?

We generally recommend that homeowners inspect their roofs at least once a year. While this can seem like overkill at first, taking the hour or so to do it once a year is a great investment of time in the long run. To save a bit more time, you can inspect the roof when you’re cleaning your gutters, which we recommend doing twice a year.
There are some scenarios where inspecting your roof more than once a year is a good idea.

These include:

  • If you have a very old roof (i.e. more than 20 years old),
  • If you live in an area prone to harsher weather, e.g. high winds, snowfall or heavy rainfall, and
  • After a major storm, especially if large hailstones or falling branches hit your roof, or if you notice a leak.

Signs your roof needs inspection

The signs your roof needs inspection are much the same as the warning signs you need a new roof for your home. They include:

  • Cracked or missing roof tiles, which can be a sign water is able to get into the roof.
  • Corrosion or rust is visible, indicating a hole could be about to form in the roof.
  • Visibly damaged roof elements, like issues with ridge capping, roof flashing or valley irons. Damage to these roof elements can mean water doesn’t drain properly and/or can make its way inside the roof.
  • Sagging, which can indicate a major problem with the roof’s frame.
  • Fungi, moss or lichen, which all indicate the roof needs cleaning. They can also be a sign that water isn’t draining properly from the roof.
  • The roof colour is faded, indicating that the protective coating may be wearing off and that the roof may be weaker than it originally was.
  • Discoloured patches on your ceiling or visible leaks after periods of rain can be a sign that water is penetrating the roof.
  • It’s been more than a year since you last inspected the roof.

Preventative roof maintenance tips

Here are our three favourite preventative roof maintenance tips:

  • Keep your gutters clean. In our guide on how often to clean gutters, we discussed the importance of cleaning your gutters twice a year. This is essential to ensure your gutters don’t get clogged with dirt or debris which can cause water to pool.
  • Remove nesting animals. It’s not unusual for a rat, bird, or possum to take up residence in your roof from time to time. Rats in particular, can be a problem as they’re prone to chewing through wiring and plasterboard. Look out for the signs there is an animal living in your roof and humanely remove it to prevent long-term damage.
  • Trim overhead branches. Trimming trees is a great way to prevent branches from falling onto the roof and from leaf litter accumulating in your guttering.

Cost savings from regular roof inspections

Generally speaking, a professional roof inspection will set you back $75-$600, with the precise cost depending on the size and style of the roof. While that can seem like a lot to fork out yearly, it’s not a lot relative to the cost of replacing a roof that’s been left to rot over time. Take a metal roof, for example—depending on the material used, you’re looking at between $35 and $200 per square metre to replace the roof, not to mention the cost of repairing damage to your ceiling, walls or structural components in the event minor damage is left to accrue over time.

If you’re confident with home maintenance, you can save even more by learning to inspect the roof yourself and only engaging a professional once every few years to catch anything you might have missed.

Contact our team of roofing and guttering specialists today at 07 3623 4422 or via our contact form to arrange your next roof inspection.

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