What to check on your roof before the first frost

Photograph marks and distorted flashings from the same position as last year, where this can be done safely. Note storms, hail and recent roof work. A new installation may have introduced a penetration or damaged a surface hidden from the ground.

A brown mark may come from a loose steel shaving or dirt. Identify the source before selecting a repair. Schedule work on confirmed defects while the weather still meets the repair product’s application requirements.

Trace drainage from the gutter outlet through bends and debris traps to the discharge point. Have leaves and sediment removed where they obstruct this path. Water marks on the wall can pinpoint an overflow that is difficult to see when everything is dry.

Check brackets and joints for looseness or cracking. When repairing a gutter joint, preserve the movement allowance built into the system. For a concealed gutter, use the inspection access and check behind the fascia for signs of persistent leakage.

Inspect the flashings at chimneys, walls and windows, and the water path through each valley. Look for lifted edges, open joints, corrosion and deformation. At details designed to use seals, check their condition together with the shape and fall of the flashing.

Inspect areas where antennas, flues or solar panels were serviced. Tools and footwear can mark coated steel. On tile-effect or trapezoidal sheets, have suspect screws and sealing washers examined individually. Excessive tightening can deform a washer that was still sealing correctly.

Look for damp insulation, marks on timber and stains beside chimneys or services. Record whether they follow rain or also appear in cold, dry conditions. This timing can help a roofer distinguish water entry through the covering from condensation inside the build-up.

Check that added insulation or stored items at the eaves have left the ventilation paths clear. Examine accessible parts of the internal airtight layer. Trace the moisture source and allow wet materials to dry before closing them behind new lining.

Have roof walkways, steps, snow guards and their fixings checked for looseness and corrosion. A roof step can only serve as a personal fall protection anchor if it is designed and approved for that purpose. Identify a safe maintenance route before winter service is needed.

On sandwich panel roofs, mark rooflights and openings on an up-to-date plan. Snow can conceal fragile sections. Check that the snow retention system and its connections can transmit the design loads into the supports before adding or replacing any components.

For each finding, enter the location, a photograph, the required action and a date. Distinguish routine maintenance from repairs and unresolved defects. Ask the contractor to identify the materials used so the next inspection can establish whether a problem has returned.

After repairs, check that swarf and offcuts have been cleared. From a safe position, observe the drainage after rain. Update the inspection record with completed work and the issues that still need attention before frost or snow makes access more difficult.