Every November, my phone rings non-stop.
“A section of our roof blew off in the storm.” “Water’s coming through the ceiling.” “There are tiles in the garden and I don’t know what to do.”
And every single time, I find myself thinking the same thing: this could have been caught in September.
The damage from British winter storms isn’t usually random. It targets the weak points—the loose tiles, the cracked flashing, the blocked gutters that were already problems before the first serious weather hit.
Here’s my complete checklist for getting your roof storm-ready. Do this in autumn, and you’ll likely avoid the emergency call in December.
Why Autumn Matters
British storm season typically runs from October through March, peaking in December and January. Those Atlantic lows bring:
- Wind gusts regularly exceeding 100km/h
- Days of relentless rain
- Rapid temperature drops causing freeze-thaw damage
- Debris turned into projectiles
Your roof needs to withstand all of this while keeping your home dry.
A roof in good condition handles storms without drama. A roof with existing problems? The storm finds every weakness and exploits it.
The window between summer warmth and storm season—September and October—is your opportunity to find and fix issues before they become emergencies.
The Visual Inspection
Start from the ground. You can catch a lot without climbing anything.
Walk Around the Whole House
Look up at your roof from every angle. You’re looking for:
Tiles/Slates:
- Obvious missing tiles (gaps in the pattern)
- Tiles out of alignment (slipped from their position)
- Cracked or broken tiles (visible fractures)
- Ridge tiles lifted or out of line
- Hip tiles (if you have them) sitting at odd angles
Flashings:
- Lead lifted away from brickwork around chimneys
- Obvious gaps at wall junctions
- Flashing that looks patched or bodged (grey sealant everywhere)
Gutters and Downpipes:
- Sagging gutter sections
- Obvious plant growth in gutters
- Water staining on walls below gutters (suggests overflow)
- Downpipes disconnected or damaged
General:
- Moss buildup (not necessarily a problem, but heavy moss holds water)
- Debris on roof (branches, accumulated leaves)
- TV aerials or satellite dishes that look loose
- Solar panel fixings (if applicable)
Use binoculars if you’ve got them. You’ll spot more.
Check the Attic
Get up in the roof space with a torch. You’re looking for:
- Daylight: Any visible light through the roof means holes. Small pinpricks through felt are sometimes okay; larger gaps need attention.
- Water staining: Marks on timbers, especially darker staining around chimneys and edges, suggest past or present leaks.
- Damp timbers: Actually feel the rafters and purlins. Damp wood feels cold and might show early rot.
- Debris on felt: If tiles have slipped, you’ll see daylight and possibly debris that’s blown in.
- Insulation condition: Water-damaged insulation looks matted, discoloured, or compacted.
This takes 15 minutes and catches problems you’d never see from outside.
The Gutter Clean
I cannot stress this enough: clean your gutters before winter.
Blocked gutters cause:
- Water cascading over the edge against your fascias
- Fascia and soffit rot
- Water pooling against the wall, causing damp
- Ice dams in freezing weather
- Gutter brackets failing from the weight of debris and standing water
It’s boring maintenance. I know. But a £50-100 gutter clean prevents £500-2,000 in water damage every single winter.
What to Clear
- Leaves and organic debris
- Moss and plant growth
- Built-up silt (it compacts at the bottom)
- Bird nests and debris
- Anything blocking outlet grilles
While You’re There
- Check brackets are secure
- Look for rust spots or cracks
- Verify joints are sealed
- Ensure downpipes are clear (run water through)
- Check downpipe connections to drains
If you’re not comfortable on a ladder, pay someone to do this. It’s one of the best-value maintenance tasks you can commission.
Addressing Problem Areas
Loose or Slipped Tiles
If you spotted tiles out of position, they need re-securing before winter.
A loose tile that’s hanging in there during calm weather becomes a projectile in a storm. Worse, the gap it creates lets water in, lets more wind under adjacent tiles, and can cascade into multiple failures.
The fix: A roofer lifts surrounding tiles, re-seats the loose one, and secures it properly. Cost: £50-150 for a few tiles. Time: 30 minutes to an hour.
The cost of not fixing: Emergency callout in December, potentially multiple tiles gone, possible interior water damage. Cost: £300-1,000+.
Cracked Ridge Tiles or Mortar
Ridge tiles run along the top of your roof. They’re usually bedded in mortar.
Over time, mortar cracks, particularly cement-based mortar that can’t flex with temperature changes. Cracks let water in. Wind gets underneath. Ridge tiles lift, shift, and eventually blow off.
Signs of ridge problems:
- Visible cracks in the mortar
- Gaps where mortar has fallen away
- Ridge tiles visibly out of alignment
- Mortar debris in your gutters or on the ground
The fix: Re-bed ridge tiles in flexible mortar or use dry ridge systems. Cost: £500-1,500 depending on extent.
Flashing Issues
Flashings around chimneys, walls, and roof junctions are common failure points.
What to look for:
- Lead lifted away from the wall
- Visible gaps between flashing and brickwork
- Previous repairs using sealant (suggests underlying failure)
- Staining on the chimney below the flashing line
The fix: Re-dress lifted lead, re-point into mortar joints, or replace flashing entirely. Cost: £200-1,000 depending on extent.
Damaged Felt Visible in Attic
If you can see felt from the attic and it looks torn, cracked, or degraded, you have a problem that rain will find.
Old bitumen felt deteriorates. It cracks, especially at temperature extremes. Once cracked, water gets through.
The fix: For localised damage, patch or replace section. For widespread deterioration, full underlay replacement (a bigger job). Cost: varies enormously—get a professional assessment.
Securing Additions
Things mounted on or through your roof create vulnerabilities.
TV Aerials and Satellite Dishes
- Check brackets are firmly attached
- Verify poles aren’t corroded
- Ensure any sealant around penetrations is intact
- Consider whether you still need them (many people have aerial relics they don’t use)
Solar Panels
- Verify mounting brackets are secure
- Check rails and fixings for corrosion
- Ensure sealant around roof penetrations is intact
- Clear any debris from panel surfaces and around fixings
Roof Vents and Pipes
- Check seal around penetrations
- Verify caps/cowls are secure
- Look for cracks in plastic components
Velux/Roof Windows
- Check seal around frames
- Clean drainage channels (they can block with debris)
- Verify flashing is intact
- Test operation (stiff windows might have seal issues)
Professional Inspection
If your roof is over 15 years old, or you’ve had previous problems, or you’re just not confident in what you’re seeing—get a professional inspection.
A pre-winter inspection costs £100-200. The roofer gets up there properly (safety equipment, access), checks everything systematically, and gives you a written report.
What they’ll check that you might miss:
- Nail condition (nail sickness is invisible from inside)
- Flashing bedding depth
- Batten condition
- Felt degradation patterns
- Structural timber condition
- Things obscured by moss or debris
This isn’t about creating work. A good roofer tells you what’s urgent, what should be done soon, and what can wait. You make informed decisions.
The Emergency Kit
Despite best preparations, storms happen and cause damage. Having some basics ready helps:
Physical supplies:
- Tarpaulin (heavy-duty, at least 4m x 3m)
- Rope or bungee cords for securing
- Buckets (multiple)
- Torch with fresh batteries
- Rubber-soled shoes if you might need to enter the attic
Information:
- Your insurance policy details accessible
- Contact number for a reliable roofer (saved in phone, not just on a forgotten card)
- Neighbour’s numbers (mutual support is valuable)
- Met Office bookmarked for storm tracking
Knowledge:
- How to turn off electricity to specific circuits
- Where your stopcock is (water damage mitigation)
- What your insurance covers and doesn’t
You probably won’t need any of this. But if you do, you’ll be glad you prepared.
The Timeline
September:
- Visual inspection from ground
- Attic inspection
- Gutter clean
- Address any obvious loose/slipped tiles
- Schedule professional inspection if needed
October:
- Get any identified repairs quoted and scheduled
- Complete repairs before storm season kicks in
- Second gutter check (autumn leaves are brutal)
November onwards:
- You’re in reactive mode now
- Repairs become more expensive and harder to schedule
- Your autumn preparation pays off—or doesn’t
What Happens When You Don’t Prepare
I want to be clear about the downside here.
Every year, I attend homes where autumn could have prevented:
-
The ridge tile that blew off and went through a car windscreen. Visible cracks in September, ignored. Cost after storm: £400 roof repair + £800 car damage + neighbour relationship issues.
-
The leak through the chimney flashing. Lifted lead noted, “would sort it in spring.” Water damaged two ceilings, required full chimney re-flash plus interior repairs. Cost: £4,500.
-
The blocked gutters that froze. Ice dam formed, water backed under tiles, soaked into roof timbers. Major repair needed by January. Cost: £6,200.
-
The loose aerial bracket. Came down in a gust, scraped across multiple roof tiles, caused multiple failures. Cost: £1,800.
None of these people set out to spend thousands. They just thought they’d get round to it, and they didn’t.
Final Thought
Your roof is designed to handle British weather. It does it successfully most of the time, year after year.
But it needs a little help. The storms don’t cause most damage—they reveal and amplify existing weaknesses.
Find those weaknesses in September. Fix them in October. Spend November through March sleeping soundly while the wind howls outside.
That’s the goal. A bit of autumn attention, and storms become something you watch through the window rather than something that comes through the ceiling.
Want a professional pre-winter inspection?
We’ll check everything and give you honest recommendations—nothing more, nothing less.
Or call: +44 89 981 9675
Seamus O’Brien has spent 20 winters responding to emergencies. He’d rather spend September preventing them.
Tags:
Need Professional Roofing Services?
Our expert team is ready to help with all your roofing needs across UK.
Get Your Free Quote