A roof problem that turns into an emergency rarely happens at a convenient time. It’s usually the middle of the night, the tail end of a storm, or a Monday morning when you’ve already got a full day ahead of you. One minute everything’s fine, the next there’s water coming through the ceiling, tiles scattered across the garden, or a section of felt that’s visibly lifted and flapping in the wind. It’s stressful, and if you don’t know what to do in those first few hours, it can get more costly than it needs to be. Knowing who to call and how to respond calmly and quickly is what makes the difference. If you’re in London and you’re facing something like this right now, a reliable Roofing Company London that responds to emergency callouts is exactly what you need. But here’s what to do while you’re sorting that out.
Stay Calm and Assess From the Ground
First things first: avoid going up onto the roof yourself, however tempting that might be. This advice might seem overly simplistic, yet in many cases it really is the easiest thing to do – especially when dealing with a recently storm-hit or rainy roof which may be quite unstable, not to mention that slippery. Do take care of your safety and avoid taking risks, because they rarely pay off.
What you can and should do instead is assess the roof damage from below. Inspect what you can inspect without actually risking falling into the unknown and jotting down everything you find out: whether tiles are missing or loose; if some part of the felt can be seen from below, either lifted or broken; if you notice any traces of water leaks from inside. These notes will definitely come in handy later.
Should you have an access to the loft space, check it too, since you will be able to see even more details from there. Daylight through the roof gaps; moisture on timbers and insulation; active water leakages – all this will tell a professional roofer about the roof condition beforehand.
Limit the Damage While You Wait
While waiting for the roofer to arrive at the site, there are several things that you could do to reduce interior damage to your property.
If water is actively leaking into your property, then your first priority should be securing everything below the source of leaking water. You need to move all furniture and electronics out of the way, and place containers to catch any dripping water. Although these are quite simple solutions, they actually work and prevent secondary damage caused by leaking water, which can cause significant damage to ceiling, plaster work, electrics and flooring.
Electrical power needs to be cut off to areas, which are affected by leaking water. Mixing water with electricity can become rather dangerous, so this should not be left as it is.
There is another option that you can explore if you have waterproofing equipment in stock. If it is safe to access a part of the flat roof from upstairs windows, you can cover the area with a strong waterproof tarpaulin. This can provide a temporary solution, but not if it entails climbing to a roof covered with leaks.
What Counts as a Roofing Emergency?
Not every roofing problem is an emergency, and it’s worth being clear on what warrants an urgent callout versus what can wait for a scheduled inspection.
Situations That Need Immediate Attention
An influx of water during a rainfall period is definitely an emergency. When water is coming into your property and cannot be prevented until a repair job is done, then you want help as soon as possible. This is because the damage increases within the building each time the water enters.
Where the storm leaves large portions of your tiles either damaged or completely dislodged to an extent where your felt or decking is exposed to the weather is definitely an emergency situation. Since London storms can be unpredictable, your roof may get further damaged by subsequent rains.
Roofing structures that are damaged, including those where your ridge is collapsed, part of the roof is sagging, or the chimney stack is off its position or leaning should definitely be considered an emergency because these pose a safety risk for you and other people.
Things That Can Usually Wait a Short While
If you have a cracked or slipping tile which, at the moment, hasn’t caused any leakage, and if the forecast shows no sign of any heavy rains coming your way, then this can probably be done later without causing any serious problems. The same applies to any damage done to your gutters or any slight lifting of your flashings which are not yet leaking water inside.
The crucial point for consideration should always be whether water is already seeping in or there is an imminent danger to the building or its occupants.
Dealing With Insurance and Documenting the Damage
Where the damage was caused by a storm, severe weather, or other such sudden occurrence, there is a good chance that your buildings insurance policy will cover at least some of the costs associated with repairing the problem. However, depending on how you react during those first critical hours after the damage occurs, it could either help or hinder your claim.
Photographs and short videos should be taken of the extent of the damage from an exterior position, interior position, and even from inside the loft, where possible. The date and time of day when the photographs were taken should be noted, along with any details concerning the current weather conditions. Where loose roof tiles had fallen into a garden or street, take photos of this area as well.
Get in touch with your insurer as soon as you can reasonably do so. Insurance companies all have special telephone numbers set up for precisely this type of occasion. They might send their own person in first before anything is done, or alternatively they might approve an emergency repair immediately, depending on both the terms of the individual policy and the urgency of the situation.
Dan Lea Roofing understand the whole process of working together with insurance claims, and can produce the necessary documentation and reports that would normally be required.
Choosing the Right Roofer for an Emergency
That’s where some caution is called for. Unfortunately, there are certain traders who always seem to appear in times of crisis, ready to give outrageous quotes, carry out sub-standard work, or make quick fixes that aren’t going to solve the problem. In the heat of the moment, it’s hard to think rationally and carefully weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Some criteria to consider when hiring an emergency roofer:
1. The ability to show proof of public liability insurance;
2. Openness regarding both the scope of the work and its costs;
3. Readiness to get everything in writing first.
In general, any roofer who isn’t willing to do that needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
The best thing to do would still be to deal with roofing contractors London have relied on before. Sometimes it really pays off to spend five minutes looking up reviews or asking for references.
After the Emergency: What Comes Next
With the initial problem sorted out, it would be prudent to assess the wider situation. The emergency repair usually indicates an ongoing problem, and the event that triggered the failure was only the last straw, not the problem itself.
Post-emergency assessments are recommended after the dust settles, and are not meant to create further work. It will help determine whether the rest of your roof is structurally sound, or if there are any weak spots that might develop into future problems.
There are different roofing requirements and issues at each property in London, from the terraced houses in Islington and Hackney, to the mansion blocks of Battersea and the commercial buildings in Southwark. Knowing your roof will help you to make the right decisions regarding maintenance.
If you’ve recently dealt with an emergency roofing situation or you want to make sure you know who to call if one arises, Dan Lea Roofing are worth having in your contacts. You can find a trusted Roofing Near Me and get all the details you need at danlea.co.uk. Being prepared before something goes wrong is always the better position to be in.