Restore that roof

Water is essential but it doesn’t do buildings any good. Water will always try to seep in and cause damage, so check your tiles and gutters

HAVING a roof over your head is a wonderful thing but are you keeping an eye on it?

Water is essential for life, but it is terrible for buildings. Ignore a cracked roof tile and the next thing could be a stained, or even a collapsed, ceiling.

The other things you need to check for are damage to your ridge tiles, gaps in your flashing and damage around chimneys. If you have a solar hot-water panel, inspect the places where the pipes go through the tiles and make sure they’re sealed tight.

Then there are the gutters. They can fill with dust, tennis balls, dead birds and – remarkably – small plants. Then the next time it rains they overflow, damaging plaster and brickwork.

And if they are totally blocked, they could collapse –not a pretty sight. It is essential to clear out your gutters at least four times a year.