How to know if you need a garage roof replacement

At first-glance, it may be difficult to know whether your garage is in need of a simple repair, a garage roof replacement or a complete refurbishment. We’re going to offer some advice about the early signs of a damaged garage. We’ll discuss the simple ways to identify potential water leakage, and the steps you can take to keep your garage and its roof in good condition. In some cases, your garage may require help from a specialist. This is particularly true if you have noticed significant water leakage, your garage is of a certain age, or you are concerned about the risks relating to asbestos removal. Here’s a simple guide to understanding exactly what your garage needs.

While minor-looking leaks or damp patches may be easy to dismiss, these are early signs that your garage roof will soon be in need of refurbishment or replacement. Though this may sound like an expensive and time-consuming job , dealing with the damage quickly will certainly save you money and hassle in the long run. It’s not only crucial to consider the impact that a damaged roof may have on the garage itself, but also the belongings in it. Damp areas and leakage will likely result in broken and rusty electrics and damaged furniture, particularly if it’s wooden, as damp causes wood to swell or contract. 

So, how can you identify whether your garage roof is in need of a refurbishment or replacement? It’s recommended that you check your garage a minimum of twice a year for any potential signs of damage. Here are three warning signs that your garage roof may require some TLC:

• Water damage and leakage – noticing water in your garage could suggest that cracks or holes may be present in the roof. Even small signs of leakage can indicate that your roof requires replacement – or at least repair.
• Loose roof tiles – you may be able to spot loose or missing tiles on your garage roof; ignoring this could result in significant damage and even cause the roof to cave in. So if you notice this, act fast.
• Mould and moss growth – ignoring moss, mildew and rotting on your garage roof will allow bacteria to build between tiles, likely causing gaps and cracks to emerge in your roof. This could result in water leakage. Finding large amounts of mould is a clear indication that repair is absolutely needed.
• Garage roof condition diminishing – you may start to see the timber structure of your garage roof rotting, causing the roof to sag inwards or flake off and crumble. 

Replacing or refurbishing your own garage roof is not advised, and neither is ignoring the issue all together. Not only could this worsen the garage condition and make fixing it more expensive, but it may also be unsafe. One clear indication that your garage needs some maintenance is if the roof appears to be uneven or sagging; this may be as a result of excess water, poor quality materials or incorrect installation. If this isn’t recognised and treated by a professional quickly, it could result in the complete collapse of your garage roof. 

The age of your garage roof is also a key factor when determining whether a repair or a complete replacement is required. Older roofs will gradually erode and rot, leading to excess moisture becoming trapped within tiles or panels. This can in turn cause cracking to occur. Cracks in garage roofs allow water to seep through into your garage and this problem can worsen in cold and frosty weather. Noticing signs of erosion, cracking or rotting means that your garage roof requires repair and possibly full refurbishment. Attempting to complete repairs yourself, particularly on an older garage roof, will undoubtedly cause more harm than good. Professionals recommend that it’s much more cost-effective to totally replace an ageing garage rather than to continually make small repairs. 

In most cases VSF can arrange your garage roof replacement without disturbing any other components of the garage, keeping the cost as low as possible. However, if you leave your damaged roof too long it can begin to deteriorate other components of the garage such as cracked concrete panels, rotten timbers and joists. In this case, for us to provide you with a quality installation we will have to replace other components as well. This will generally increase the cost and in the worst case scenario, you may need the entire garage replaced if the integrity of the roof is compromised.