Roof maintenance

The roof is one of the most important elements of a building - perhaps the most important alongside the foundations. It should not be left without proper care, but should be inspected regularly and any necessary maintenance carried out in good time. This will ensure the functional integrity and long life of your roof. Inspect the roof twice a year but avoid unnecessary traffic on the roof, especially in hot weather.

What needs to be done

  • Remove any debris from the roof (leaves, moss, etc.) by sweeping the surface. Any tree branches and sharp objects should be collected by hand. If any maintenance work (e.g. HVAC) has been done on the roof, ensure that it is free of building waste, screws, nails and the like.
  • Ensure that water can run off the roof unobstructed. Clean the roof gullies and their gratings.
  • Remove any parts of creeper plants that may have spread onto the roof or into the gutters.
  • Check the following:
    • Sheet seams are properly attached and watertight.
    • The bases of upturns (fillets) and sheets are intact and seams have not split.
    • Sleeves have good seal, particularly the joints between the roofing sheets and the flanges.
    • The proper attachment and watertightness of the gulley flanges and roofing sheets.
    • The condition and attachment of flashings and the watertightness of their upper edges at upturns.
    • Ensure that the aggregate ballast on a roof is clean so that water drainage is not impaired allowing moss or other plants to grow on the roof.
    • Ensure that any post-installed equipment (aerials, neon signs, etc.) are installed without compromising the watertightness of the roof. Have work on the roof done by bitumen roofing experts.

  • If work is being carried out on the roof, the surface should be protected.
  • No items should be permanently stored on the roof. During temporary storage (e.g. during work) the roofing should be protected where needed.
  • When you detect a need for repair of the roof, DO NOT DELAY THE WORK in order to avoid more extensive damage. In most cases you can do minor caulking, repair of flashing fixings and other small jobs yourself. More extensive repair jobs are generally best left to roofing professionals. This is absolutely essential any time that hot work is involved.
  • If you are uncertain what should be done, ASK FOR ADVICE from the roofing contractor or manufacturer.

Generally snow does not need to be removed from the roof!

  • Remove snow from the roof only if it is absolutely necessary.
  • If snow is removed from the roof, the work should be done in layers and a minimum layer of 10 cm should be left on the roof as a safety margin.
  • Ice must not be removed mechanically by chipping, only by melting.
  • If there are problems with ice on the roof, in gutters or downpipes the best way to ensure that water runs off is to install automatically controlled heating cables.


ROOF MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS