Roof warning signs

Is your roof warning you?

Most roof problems give you a warning first. Twelve things to look for from the ground and from inside, what each one means and when to act.

Water coming through the ceiling right now? If it is storm damage, call the SES on 132 500. If anyone is in danger, call triple zero (000).

Check my roof (4 minutes, free, no sign-up). Book Your Pre-Storm CheckPoint. Read the full guide.

The questions

1. Do you see any cracked, slipped or missing tiles? Stand back in the yard or across the street on a clear day. Binoculars help. Metal roof? Answer no. If not: Cracked, slipped or missing tiles let water straight in. One slipped tile is a small fix; leave it, and the water damage underneath is not.
2. Do you see gaps or missing chunks in the ridge pointing, or ridge caps out of line? Ridge caps are the curved tiles along the top of the roof and down the hips. If not: Crumbling ridge pointing is a common way water gets in during wind-driven rain. Get it looked at.
3. Is there thick moss, lichen or built-up dirt on the roof? If not: Mostly cosmetic, but heavy growth holds moisture against the tiles and can hide cracks. Worth a closer look.
4. On a metal roof, do you see rust, or sheets that look flaky along the laps and edges? Tile roof? Answer no. If not: Surface rust can often be treated. Rust that has eaten through means replacement is probably on the cards.
5. Do you see screws that have backed out, missing screws, or rust stains running down from the fixings? If not: Loose fixings are how sheets lift in strong wind. Get them looked at before the storms.
6. Are any sheets lifted, curling at the edges, out of line or dented after hail? If not: Lifted or dented sheets can let water in, or give the wind something to grab. Get them looked at.
7. Are any flashings lifting or rusted, or is the sealant cracked? Flashings are the metal strips where the roof meets a wall, and around chimneys, skylights, vents and solar panel mounts. If not: Lifting or rusted flashings let water in. Have them resealed or replaced.
8. Are the valleys full of leaves? Valleys are the channels where two roof slopes meet. If not: Valleys full of leaves can overflow under the tiles. Have them cleared by someone with the gear.
9. Is there a brown stain or ring on a ceiling, especially a new one? A stain does not always sit right under the leak: water can run along a rafter first. If not: Any new ceiling stain, even a small one, is worth getting looked at.
10. Is paint bubbling or peeling near the ceiling line, or is there a musty smell or mould in one corner of a room? If not: Probably water getting in somewhere. Worth getting the roof looked at.
11. From the manhole with a torch, can you see daylight, drips or damp insulation? Look from the manhole only. Do not walk across the ceiling unless you know exactly where to step. If not: Daylight, drips or damp insulation in the roof space: time to get a roofer up there for a proper look.
12. Are the gutters overflowing or rusted? If not: Overflowing or rusted gutters can push water back under the roofline and into the eaves. Get them sorted.

A self-check from the ground, not an inspection. We are not engineers, and a look from the ground cannot see everything, but it tells you whether it is time to get a roofer up there. Please stay off the roof.

More free checks

• Storm Ready Score: how ready is your home?: Ten quick yes or no questions about your home, a score out of 10 and what to sort before the storms. Free, two minutes.
• Storm season checklist: is your home ready?: Twelve quick questions from the SEQ storm season checklist. See what is done and what to sort before the first big storm. Free, three minutes.
• Storm damage? What to do first, in the right order: Pick what has happened and get the next safe step and who to call: 000, the SES on 132 500, your insurer or a licensed trade. Free, one minute.
• Roof warning signs: is your roof warning you?: Twelve things to look for from the ground and inside, what each one means and when to get someone up there. Free, and you stay off the roof.
• Roof repair in Brisbane: what moves the price?: Pick the repair and see what it involves, the six things that change the number and what a fair roof quote should show. Free, one minute.
• Gutters and downpipes: the boring job that saves the house: Ten quick questions to tell if your gutters and downpipes need attention, how often to clean them in SEQ and when to leave the ladder in the shed.
• Who should I call? Problem to trade, in plain English: Ceiling stain, power tripping, a gas smell, a sagging shade sail? See how urgent it is, what you can safely check and which trade to call.
• Simple home checks: ten minutes, no ladder: A safe walk-around from the ground and inside. Hidden leaks, ceiling stains, cracks, gutters and the safety switch. What it might mean and who to call.
• Could a flexi hose flood your house? Check it: Simple plumbing checks: flexi hoses, a leaking toilet, water pressure, the hot water relief valve and slow drains. What to look for and who to call.
• Is your tradie licensed? Check it in two minutes: A free QBCC licence check, step by step. Is it current, does the class cover the job, and the red flags that mean walk away.
• Is the cheapest quote missing half the job?: Twelve quick questions to check a quote: scope, exclusions, materials, payment terms, warranty and licence. Compare the quote, not just the number.
• Why your quotes go cold: a two-minute self-check: A lot of quotes are not lost on price. Seven yes or no questions for trade businesses to find where quotes leak between the enquiry and the yes.
• What are cold quotes costing your business?: Four sliders, two minutes, no sign-up. See what slips away a year when quotes go unanswered. Example only: revenue, not profit.
• Property manager storm checklist: are you ready?: A storm hits every property on your list at once. Twelve quick questions for property managers and landlords: what is done, and what to sort first.

Linc Point

Linc Point (sometimes spelt Link Point), ABN 48 535 502 159. Call 0458 381 559 or email linc@lincpoint.com.au. Brisbane and South East Queensland, Bribie Island to Helensvale. Website: lincpoint.com.au. Tools for trade businesses: lincpoint.online.