Inspect your Salisbury roof twice yearly: spring and autumn, plus after storms. Check for slipped tiles, loft daylight, damp patches, moving ridge tiles, and clear gutters before winter. Properties over 40 years need professional inspection every 5 years. Free survey: 0172 223 9611.
Most roof damage in Salisbury is preventable. Problems that cost thousands — felt failure, structural timber rot, widespread nail sickness — almost always develop from smaller issues that were visible for years. This checklist gives you a practical annual routine.
Spring Check (April–May)
Ground Level Visual Inspection
Look systematically at each roof slope from the ground. You are looking for tiles sitting lower than their neighbours (nail sickness or displacement); missing ridge or hip tiles; moss coverage that has increased noticeably since last year; and any visible dips or sags. Do this in clear conditions.
Gutter Check After Winter
Clear winter debris. Check downpipes are discharging freely. Look for sagged gutter sections — this indicates bracket failure. For properties near Salisbury's wooded suburbs (Whiteparish, Alderbury, Cathedral Close vicinity), a spring clear is as important as the autumn one.
Loft Inspection
Take a torch into the loft and check for new water staining on rafters or felt not present last autumn. Any new dark patches on felt or timber should be investigated before the next winter.
The NFRC advises that gutter clearing before winter is the single most cost-effective roof maintenance task, as sustained overflow causes more cumulative building damage than any other maintenance failure.
— NFRC maintenance guidance
Autumn Check (October–November)
Pre-Winter Gutter Clear
The most important single maintenance task. Clear all leaf and debris from gutters and downpipes before the main autumn and winter rainfall. A blocked gutter overflowing through winter does more cumulative damage than any other single maintenance failure.
Ridge and Hip Mortar
Look from ground level at the ridge and hip lines. Mortar that has receded leaves ridge tiles sitting on grit rather than a solid bed — they will move in winter wind. Gaps in the mortar line or tiles that appear to rock need assessment before winter.
Lead Valleys and Flashings
Check for any visible lifting at lead flashings — particularly at chimney bases and around Velux windows. Lead lifting at the edges allows wind-driven rain behind it. Autumn storms find any weaknesses a summer may have concealed.
After Any Storm
After any high-wind event: ground level check of all exposed slopes. Displaced ridge or hip tiles are both a weather risk and a safety hazard falling from height. A quick loft check for new daylight or damp is worthwhile after severe events.
When to Call a Roofer
- Any slipped or missing tile — however small the gap appears
- Any daylight visible from the loft
- Any new ceiling staining after rain
- Ridge or hip tiles that have moved or appear loose
- Moss coverage that has significantly increased
- Any roof over 40 years old not professionally inspected in the last 5 years
We offer free condition surveys across Salisbury and all surrounding areas. A professional inspection gives you a clear picture of what needs attention now and what can wait.
📞 0172 223 9611Last reviewed: 21 July 2026 by Salisbury Roofing Experts