Dealing with Storm Damage

Though damage from storms is less prevalent in the UK than it is with our American cousins across the pond, the British weather can be very unpredictable – and because it’s not as frequent, we’re quite often not as well-prepared for it. Though we seldom see any twisters, we’re certainly no stranger to torrential rain, high winds and heavy hail, each of which can prove detrimental to your roofline. When it comes to dealing with and cleaning up after these weather conditions, you may be a little out of the loop. To help with matters, the BC Profiles team has put together some handy information on how to deal with storm damage around your home.

Storm Damage to Dry Roofing and Tiles

If caught at the wrong angle, strong winds can soon cause damage to your roof tiles and dry ridge system. Though this is especially true in old and weathered roofs, even the newest of roofing systems can be privy to potential damage in strong storms and adverse weather conditions.

Should your roof show signs of damage around the pointing of the tiles, it could simply be a case of repointing the ridge tiles. However, if the mortar is damaged and the tiles have become loose, it could be a case of more permanent repair work such as removing and rebedding the tiles on fresh mortar.

Leaking Roof Valleys and Damaged Guttering

If tiles become dislodged during a storm or mortar becomes weathered, this can cause your roof valley to leak. This in turn causes leaves and other debris to build up, meaning excess water is forced underneath the tiles and into your roof; from here, it may go on to damage roof timbers and even the ceiling of your home. It’s important that you check your roof valleys both before and after a storm to assess for any damage and areas for concern.

Strong winds often affect guttering more than any other part of your home, and whether that’s UPVC guttering or cast iron effect guttering, each are at the mercy of the elements during adverse weather conditions.

Addressing any damage could be as simple as clicking a downpipe back into place, however, if your guttering or downpipes have dropped from a height then they may have cracked upon impact, in which case they’ll need to be replaced. You should also consider looking into storm drains, which are designed to withstand heavy water intake and are effective at quickly removing surface water from around your property.

Dry Verge System and Mortar Bedding

It’s not just the physical aspects of a storm such as wind, heavy rain and hail that can damage your roofline, there’s also the plummeting temperatures to think about too.

As sense might suggest, the outer most layers of your roof’s dry verge system are the most prone to damage from frost, given that they form the extremities of the roof away from the residual heat of your home. The sand and cement of your mortar bedding are vulnerable to cold and can quickly become brittle during freezing temperatures, leading to the mortar crumbling away and exposing the roof membrane.

If damage does occur during the thawing of frost, your verge tiles may need lifting and rebedding on fresh mortar to ensure that the roof membrane is well-protected and your tiles are firmly in place and secure.

If you’re searching for more expert advice and information on roofline products and more, head on over to our Help & Advice Centre and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.