How to check your roof? Jean-Michel Bonnet, General Secretary of Promotoit, details for you the recommendations for monitoring and repairing your roof issued by the association.
How can the individual monitor his roof?
It is important to emphasize that the individual must monitor his roof himself from time to time, even if he is not a specialist. He can detect risks that encourage him to involve someone wisely and before it is too late. Attention, it is strongly discouraged to climb on its roof, you must call a professional, because you have to know how to walk on a roof. But you can possibly check on a scale or look through binoculars. You have to watch your roof!
It is necessary to have the eye at least once a year. It also depends on the age of the house: the first years after its construction, it’s not worth it! Then, special cases such as strong gusts of wind or the installation of a television antenna should be opportunities to check the roof to see if the tiles have not been moved. It doesn’t take long to look, the longest is to remove the leaves!
Who should you call for your roof? How to check the reliability of the hired professional?
The professional to contact is a qualified roofer Qualibat (the qualification and certification body for construction companies created by the public authorities in 1949 – Ed) and holder of professional insurance. Individuals can also obtain information from professional federations, such as the French Building Federation or the Confederation of Crafts and Small Building Companies (CAPEB).
It is necessary to call on a professional, because this work is heavy with consequences and it is not necessarily cheaper to see with someone else. A roofer has discounts on purchases for materials and he also has the necessary insurance: in the event of a problem, recourse is always possible.
What should be the priorities when redoing your roof?
The order of importance of the work depends on the condition of the roof. Of course, the priorities are waterproofing and protection against heat and cold.
But redoing your roof should above all be an opportunity to make improvements. If we don’t do them right away, it will be 35 years later, because it is estimated that a roof is laid for this period at least. In addition, now to sell your house, you have to carry out a thermal diagnosis which can penalize the sale price if it is bad. So might as well do the improvement work!
Current climate change brings about two major challenges for the roof: it will be necessary to limit the effects of heat waves and those of strong winds. There are therefore two essential rules to be aware of: ensure good ventilation, in particular with a screen under the roof, and fix the tiles at sensitive points. The ventilation of a roof prevents the tiles from freezing in winter and allows heat to be evacuated in summer. The ridge is ventilated provided there is an air inlet in the lower part.
Some improvements to make to your roof, according to Promotoit
Check the roof windows and frames: fitting, sealing, lubrication, ventilation filter. Check the connections between the skylights and the roof.
In particular, roof windows should be greased, following the manufacturer’s recommendations. »
Check roof overhangs:
experience tile displacements. »
Clean the valleys: check their fixing and their tightness:
They should be cleaned from time to time, removing moss and leaves and checking that the tiles have not shifted over time. »
Check the good condition of the frame (deformations, attacks by insects):
Deformations, sagging, holes in the wood or traces of sawdust are all clues to detect. »
Check the fastening of edge tiles, ventilation tiles and decorative elements (groynes, weather vanes)
Check any damage caused by external intervention.
Check the good ventilation of the roof, as well as the presence and condition of the under-roof screen.
