Storm Damage to Your Roof: What to Check and When to Call a Roofer

North London takes some fierce winter weather, and every big storm leaves behind a trail of slipped slates, blocked gutters, and leaking ceilings. The problem is that most roof damage is invisible from the ground, and by the time it shows up indoors, water has already been getting in for days or weeks. A systematic check in the 24 to 48 hours after a storm can turn a major insurance claim into a minor repair bill.

This checklist is practical and, above all, safe. Everything we suggest can be done from the ground or from inside your home. If anything looks wrong, that is the moment to call a professional, never the moment to climb a ladder in a wind funnel between terraced houses.

Walk the whole perimeter of your property and look up at each roof slope. You are looking for tiles or slates that have slipped, tilted, or gone missing; a single gap often means more have shifted out of place just above the visible one. Check the ridge line and hip line for gaps where the mortar bedding has failed, and look at your chimney for leaning, cracked flaunching, or debris on the ground below it.

Next, examine the gutters. A storm usually leaves them full of moss, twigs, and grit from the roof surface, and an overflowing or misaligned gutter after heavy rain is a warning sign of blockages or a loosened joint. Look for tiles or slate fragments in the garden, on driveways, and on lower roofs, such as porches and bay windows. Finally, if you have a flat roof over an extension or garage, check it from an upstairs window for visible pooling water, lifted edges, or debris scarring.

Some of the most reliable storm damage evidence is indoors. In each upstairs room, inspect ceilings and the upper corners of walls for new water stains, which appear as brown or yellow rings, or for fresh bubbling and peeling paint. Check the loft with a torch: look for daylight coming through the roof deck, damp patches on the underfelt or rafters, and wet insulation, which stays sodden long after the leak has dried elsewhere.

Do not forget the chimney breast. Damp staining around a chimney, either upstairs or on the ceiling beneath it, almost always points to failed flashing or mortar. If you smell mustiness or see mould growth appearing suddenly, a slow leak is the likely culprit even if nothing is actively dripping.

Some findings can wait for a scheduled repair: a small number of slipped tiles with no water inside, a gutter full of moss, or minor mortar wear on the chimney. Book a free survey within the next week or two, before the next weather system arrives, and keep the area beneath any suspect ceiling clear and photographed for your records.

Other signs demand an emergency call-out, day or night: active dripping or running water inside the home, a large area of tiles missing, a chimney or tile looking unstable enough to fall, or a sagging ceiling that suggests water is pooling above it. In those situations, a professional will make the roof safe quickly and return for permanent repairs, and most insurers expect you to take prompt action to limit damage. Take dated photographs of everything before, during, and after, for the claim.

MPM Roofing has handled storm damage across North London for over 20 years, from Muswell Hill's exposed hilltop villas to the tightly packed terraces of Holloway and Tottenham. Our emergency line is answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and a permanent, guaranteed repair usually follows within days.

If your roof has taken a battering, call 07770 918884 now for immediate help, or use our free cost estimator to get an instant, realistic price for the repairs your home needs. There is no obligation, and the sooner the roof is checked, the smaller the bill tends to be.