The clearest signs you need a new roof are problems that affect the whole roof rather than one spot: tiles or slates slipping all over, a sagging ridge or roof slope, daylight or damp throughout the loft, crumbling or brittle tiles, and leaks that come back after repair. A single slipped tile or a cracked ridge is usually a repair. When the fixings, battens or underlay are failing across the roof, replacement is often the better choice.
Signs you can spot from outside
You do not need to climb a ladder to check. Stand back on the pavement or in the garden, ideally with binoculars.
Tiles or slates slipping in lots of places
One or two slipped tiles can be refixed. But if they keep slipping across different parts of the roof, the cause is usually the fixings. On older slate roofs the nails rust through, which roofers call "nail fatigue". On old clay tile roofs, the pegs and nails wear out in the same way. Once that is happening across the roof, more will follow.
Cracked, flaking or brittle tiles
Concrete tiles can become porous and brittle with age, and clay tiles can flake (spall) after repeated frost. A few damaged tiles can be swapped. Widespread damage means the covering is reaching the end of its life.
A sagging or uneven roofline
Look along the ridge and the roof slopes. A dip, bow or wave can mean the battens, rafters or roof structure need attention. This should always be checked by a roofer.
Bare patches, lots of moss and debris in gutters
Moss on its own does not mean you need a new roof; see our guide to moss on your roof. But heavy moss alongside crumbling tiles and lots of granules or tile fragments in the gutters can show that the surface of the tiles is breaking down.
Failing flashings, ridges and verges everywhere
Cracked mortar on one ridge tile is a repair. Mortar falling out of ridges, hips and verges all over the roof, together with split lead around chimneys, suggests the roof as a whole is tired.
Signs you can spot inside
Take a torch into the loft on a bright day.
- Daylight coming through the roof, other than at vents, means gaps in the covering.
- Damp, stained or rotten timbers, especially at the rafters and battens.
- Torn, brittle or missing underlay, or no underlay at all on older roofs.
- Damp patches on ceilings that return after repair.
- Heavy condensation, which can mean the roof is badly ventilated. This sometimes looks like a leak.
Signs from the roof's history
- Repeated repairs. If you are calling a roofer back to the same roof again and again, the money might be better spent on replacement.
- The roof's age and original materials. How long a roof lasts depends on the material, the quality of the original work, exposure to wind and how well it has been maintained. A roof that still has its original battens and no proper underlay is more likely to need replacing.
- Planned work. If you are adding a loft conversion, solar panels or an extension, it can make sense to deal with an ageing roof at the same time.
Things that do not usually mean a new roof
Some problems look alarming but are normally fixed with a repair:
- One or two slipped or cracked tiles, especially after a storm
- Moss, as long as the tiles underneath are sound
- A loose ridge tile or a cracked mortar verge in one place
- An old stain on the ceiling from a leak that has already been fixed
- Overflowing gutters, which are often just blocked or sagging
These are worth dealing with quickly, because small problems left alone let water in and can damage battens and timbers over time.
What to do next
Do not go up on the roof yourself. Note what you have seen, take photos from the ground if you can, and get a professional survey. A good roofer should show you what they find and explain whether a repair would do the job. Our guide to deciding between a roof repair or a new roof goes through how to weigh it up.
In Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire
The signs you are most likely to see depend on when and how your home was built.
- In Potters Bar, many 1930s roofs still have their original tiles and battens, often with no proper underlay. The tiles can be sound while the nails and battens wear out, so tiles slip.
- In March, older slate roofs suffer from rusting nails, so slates slip one by one, while the open fen wind lifts ridges and verges.
- In Halstead and Hitchin, older clay tile roofs lose tiles as their pegs and nails wear out, and gaps open up. Often the good tiles can be saved and relaid on new battens and breathable underlay.
- In Borehamwood, many post-war roofs still have their original underlay and older concrete tiles that can become brittle.
- In South Woodham Ferrers, many roofs built from the 1970s onwards are now due their first major maintenance, with worn ridge and verge mortar, slipped tiles and tired felt flat roofs.
How First4Roofcare can help
If you have spotted any of these signs, we will survey your roof, take photos and tell you honestly whether it needs roof repairs or a new roof. New roofs come with a 10-year guarantee. Book a free roof survey to find out where you stand.