Roof

It is important to make sure that your roof is intact to ensure that water, pests etc. cannot get in to and damage your property.

It is also important to make sure there is adequate insulation and ventilation in your home, including your roof space.

Any damage to or problems with your roof need to be fixed as soon as possible: water and pests can cause problems in your home and may end up costing you more if they are not fixed early.

Some long-standing problems such as issues with damp and mould caused by roof problems could have knock on effects, which might damage other parts of your home or affect your health and wellbeing.

What to look out for and why it is important

Keep an eye on roof tiles as they can slip and move, especially after strong winds or storms. Also look out for cracked roof tiles.
Look for any signs that lead along roof joints or around a chimney is lifted or damaged.
Check for damaged or worn roof felt:
- if you can safely get into your loft space, look for daylight coming through gaps in your roof/tears in the felt.
- you may also be able to see if water is getting in through your roof. Additionally;
- you may find that your roof timbers are damp or rotten, or that there is a musty smell in your roof space.
Signs of a leaky roof can include:
- Damp marks, water stains or mould either on the outside or inside walls of your property.
- Dripping water. Be aware that water might come out in unexpected places. it may travel from the leak and appear in your home in a different locations.
- Sagging or dipping flat roofs.

Be aware that some of these signs of water getting into your home might be caused by other things than a leaky roof: for example, dripping water might come from a leaky water tank or pipe; mould can be caused by condensation.

You might only have a problem with your roof in particular types of weather conditions, for example, in heavy storms or in driving rain when the wind is from a particular direction.

If your roof was damaged by a storm or a particular incident, such as a falling tree, this may be covered by your insurance so it might be helpful to take photos of the damage if you can, and contact your insurer for guidance.

Problems caused by an old roof, or general wear and tear to your roof, will generally not be covered by insurance.

GOV.UK

The UK Government advises that “many jobs in the home need to be notified to and approved as being compliant with Building Regulations by a Building Control Body, either your Local Authority Building Control or a private sector Approved Inspector, unless carried out by installers registered with a Competent Person Scheme who can self-certify that their work is compliant.”

An example of a notifiable work is a replacement roof.

Further details about Building Regulations can be found here: Building work, replacements and repairs to your home - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Planning Permission

Re-roofing does not always need planning permission, however, it is a good idea to check with your local authority (district, borough or city council) if you are not sure whether or not you need planning permission.

You can get more information on the Planning Portal here: Roof - Planning Permission - Roof - Planning Portal

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors Ltd (NFRC)

You are likely to need to call in an expert if you want to replace your roof. The right person for the job may depend on whether you have a pitched or a flat roof.

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors Ltd (NFRC) have advice and guidance on how to find a roofing contractor here: Advice on choosing a roofing contractor - NFRC.

You can also request a copy of their Homeowners Guide to Roof Work from the to give you some more in-depth knowledge: Request Homeowners Guide to Roof Work (nfrc.co.uk).

NRFC also have a competent person scheme, which can support by simplifying the Building Control process by allowing registered roofers to sign off their own work and there is a search tool to find a competent person, here: NFRC Competent Person Scheme for roofing (nfrccps.com).

It might be that your roof only needs repairs rather than replacing.

It is likely that employing an expert to do this is the more suitable route.

Check out the Good Home Lincs section below on 'Working in Roof Spaces' if you are planning to carry out any repairs yourself.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Trusted Tradespeople for more information about finding tradespeople to carry out work.

Roof and loft insulation

Up to 25% of the heat lost in houses escapes through the roof. The best way to prevent this is to ensure your loft space is insulated to keep heat in your home.

It is recommended that loft spaces are insulated to a thickness of 270mm to prevent heat from escaping through the roof.

Different types of loft insulation include:

Blanket or matting insulation
Loose-fill insulation
Blow-in insulation

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Insulation for more information about insulating and ventilating your home.

As well as carrying out a visual check of your roof, it is also helpful to look at your chimney as well.

It is useful to note if the flashing and the brickwork is in good condition; if the pointing is intact; that it appears to be straight/has not noticeably tilted. Any eroded bricks, cracks, growing vegetation, if the top is missing or if your chimney leans to one side, may indicate a problem.

It may be difficult to get a good look at your chimney. Please see the Good Home Lincs section below on Ladder Safety (Working in roof spaces), and also the Health and Safety Executive website for more information about the Safe use of ladders and stepladders, should you decide to take a closer look yourself.

It may be more helpful - and safer - to engage a professional to examine your chimney if you suspect any problems.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Trusted tradespeople for more information about finding tradespeople to carry out work.

The National Association of Chimney Engineers (NACE) may be able to offer help and support. Visit the NACE website for more information.

Chimney sweeps

Chimneys can pose a fire risk and they need to be swept regularly. This also reduces the risk of carbon monoxide build up. The frequency which chimneys need to be swept depends on the fuel type. It is recommended that:

smokeless fuels – once a year
coal – twice a year
wood – four times a year
oil – once a year
gas – once a year

There are a number of different bodies where you can find an accredited chimney sweep. Organisations include:

The National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS)

The Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps Association

Association of Professional Independent Chimney Sweeps

HETAS

Installing fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors is also recommended.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Fire Safety for more information about fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Thatched homes

Historic England provides some advice for chimney safety for thatched properties here:

Reducing the Risk of Fires in Thatched Properties with Wood

Notifiable building work

If you are carrying out work on your chimney, such as relining the flue or altering the flue’s internal dimensions, then check with your local authority whether this is notifiable building work.

Building a new chimney stack may also require planning permission - again, check this with your local authority. If you want to install a new stove or log burner, this needs to be professionally done.

It is important to maintain your gutters and drainpipes.

The main purpose of guttering is to collect the rainwater falling on your roof and direct it into a downpipe and then to a drain.

Debris such as leaves can block gutters, and damage and cracks in your guttering can mean that water runs down the walls of your home and can pool at the base, leading to water ingress to your home.

Pests can also get into your home if there are problems with your guttering, fascias and soffits.

Regular gutter cleaning is recommended, and specialist gutter and roof cleaners are available for specific jobs.

Water can get into your home in a number of ways and can cause damage.

Flooding can cause immediate damage to your property and to your belongings.

Unsealed doors, windows, roof problems and condensation can make your home damp, damaging soft furnishings, plasterwork and wood, and can also lead to problems with damp and mould.

In certain circumstances, such as unexpected flooding due to extreme weather, any damage may be covered by your insurance.

Historic England

Historic England have information on how to protect your home from flooding and water damage, including information on home maintenance, burst pipes and leaks.

Visit historicengland.org.uk for more information about protecting your home from flooding and flood damage.

Anglian Water

Anglian Water have advice and guidance on burst and leaking pipes. Visit Anglianwater.org.uk for more information about Burst and leaking pipes.

It is helpful to know where your stop tap is, in case you need to turn off the water supply to your home in an emergency. Visit Anglianwater.org.uk for more information about locating your Stop tap.

Anglian Water also provide flooding guidance, including the appropriate people to contact, if there are floods from rivers, the sea, from roads or sewers. Visit Anglianwater.org.uk for more information about Flooding guidance.

Citizens Advice

Citizen’s Advice provide advice if you are renting your home and leaking water is coming from a neighbouring property. Visit Citizensadvice.org.uk for more information about Repairs - leak from a neighbouring property.

There may be some restrictions on any changes to the appearance of chimneys and roofs if your home is a listed building or if it is in a conservation area. This may impact on whether you need planning permission. Check with your local council if you are not sure.

You can also check whether you need to consider building regulations or planning permission by using the Interactive House – Planning Portal but it is recommended that you contact your local authority if you live in a listed building or conservation area for additional advice.

GOV.UK

UK Government has a guide on the types of work which need planning permission: Planning permission: When you need it - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK Government has a guide on the types of work which need building regulations approval: Building regulations approval: When you need approval - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK Government also has a useful flowchart to help work out whether you need to contact building control for planned work to your home: Building work, replacements and repairs to your home - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK Government has some useful links to building accreditation schemes in section 7 of the following link: Building work, replacements and repairs to your home - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Planning Permission and Building Control

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Planning Permission and Building Control for more information.

Loft conversions can be a useful way to add extra space to your home without losing outside space or where there is not enough room to extend outwards.

The extra space might be useful, but not all lofts can be extended easily, and you may even lose some of your existing space if you need to fit stairs to access the new room. Other factors than can affect your conversion include the available head space in the loft, the type of roof on your home and whether you will need to make structural changes, such as removing chimney stacks.

All this can add additional cost and make a loft conversion more difficult. However, loft conversions can sometimes be a good option when planning permission for an extension may be difficult to obtain.

Adding a loft conversion may also come with longer-term considerations for how you live in your home. If you are planning to stay in your home for the long-term, you might want to consider if the extra space will still be accessible as you get older, or if other people in the home have mobility issues.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Access and Adaptations for more information about remaining independent at home.

Federation of Master Builders - Guide to loft conversions

The Federation of Master Builders has produced a guide to loft conversions, and provides useful information if you are considering a loft conversion for your home.

Visit the Federation of Master Builders website for more information about loft conversions.

Extensions

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Extensions for more information about extending your home.

Health and Safety Executive

Working on roofs is a hazardous activity because it involves working at height.

Roof work accounts for a quarter of all deaths in the construction industry. Falls through fragile materials, such as roof lights and asbestos cement roofing sheets, account for more of these deaths than any other single cause.

Not all the people killed while working on roofs are trained roofers; many people accessing roofs are maintenance workers. There are also many serious injuries, often resulting in permanent disabilities.

The Health and Safety Executive has produced free guidance on health and safety in roof spaces for anyone planning, arranging or supervising roof work, including:

directors and partners of companies who carry out roof work
clients of projects involving roof work
designers and specifiers of buildings and components
principal contractors for projects that include roof work
owners of buildings where roof work may take place
trade union safety representatives and employees' safety representatives
anyone carrying out roof work, including employees and the self-employed, and safety consultants

Visit www.hse.gov.uk for more information or to download a free copy.

Ladder safety

Never use a ladder when you are alone. Make sure you have someone with you who can hold the ladder and keep it steady.

If you use a ladder to clean your windows, you should always:

Make sure that you are using the right ladder for the job.
Make sure that the stiles are not bent or damaged.
Make sure that the feet are clear of mud or dirt and that they are not missing, worn or damaged.
Make sure that the rungs are not bent, worn or missing.
Make sure that any locking mechanisms are working properly and are fully engaged.
Make sure that the stepladder platform is not split or buckled.
Make sure the steps or treads on stepladders are clean, dry and that none of the fixings are loose.

Visit the Health and Safety Executive website for more information about the Safe use of ladders and stepladders.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Paying for works for more information about funding works.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Trusted Tradespeople for more information about finding tradespeople to carry out work.

What to look out for and why it is important

GOV.UK

Planning Permission

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors Ltd (NFRC)

Roof and loft insulation

Chimney sweeps

Thatched homes

Notifiable building work

Historic England

Anglian Water

Citizens Advice

GOV.UK

Planning Permission and Building Control

Federation of Master Builders - Guide to loft conversions

Extensions

Health and Safety Executive

Ladder safety

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