A Devon homeowner who inspects their own roof twice a year — spring and autumn — will catch most developing problems before they become expensive emergencies. This checklist covers what you can check safely from the ground and from the loft hatch, and what requires a professional assessment.
Inspect your Devon roof twice yearly — spring and November. From the ground, check ridge tiles, tile slippage, chimney mortar and gutter overflow. From the loft, look for daylight, wet underlay and soft timber. Catching problems early prevents expensive emergency repairs.
A ground-level inspection takes 10 minutes and a pair of binoculars. Do it twice yearly: once in spring after the winter storm season, and once in November after peak leaf fall.
Ridge and hip condition: look for displaced, cracked or missing ridge tiles. The ridge is the highest point and most exposed element. Missing or shifted ridge tiles indicate failed mortar bedding and are an immediate repair priority.
Tile condition: look for any tiles that are sitting lower than their neighbours (nail sickness slippage), cracked tiles with visible fracture lines, or tiles with significant surface erosion (a chalky, degraded surface on concrete tiles). A single displaced tile is a repair; a consistent pattern of slippage across a whole slope indicates nail sickness.
Chimney condition: look at the chimney stacks. Mortar joints should be clean and uniform. White calcium staining running from the stack face indicates water has been wicking through a cracked joint. Loose pots (visible movement or rotation) are an immediate safety concern.
Gutters: look along the gutter runs. Are they level or has any section sagged? Is there overflow staining on the wall below any bracket? Is there plant growth or soil visible in the gutters? All indicate a cleaning and condition assessment is overdue.
Access the loft hatch with a torch and look around before stepping on the joists. You are looking, not investigating — do not move across the insulation.
NFRC recommends regular roof inspections as preventative maintenance, noting that early intervention on minor defects avoids the structural damage that follows water ingress.
Source: NFRC guidance
Daylight: look for any visible daylight between tiles, at the ridge, or at any junction. Daylight through the primary covering is a repair priority.
Felt condition: the underlay on the underside of the battens should be dry and intact. Any sagging, wet patches or staining indicates water has been reaching the secondary weatherproofing.
Timber condition: look at the visible rafter faces and ceiling joists. Dark staining, mould growth, or visible softness on timber edges indicates moisture problems. Soft or springy ceiling joists when pressed with a hand indicate decay.
Ventilation: there should be a clear air path from eaves to ridge visible as daylight at the eaves. Blocked eaves indicate ventilation failure.
Devon conditions create specific issues worth checking explicitly.
Moss coverage: look at all north and east-facing slopes from the ground. Moss coverage that was 20% on your last inspection advancing to 40% indicates a treatment is overdue.
Valley condition: look along all valley lines from the ground for debris accumulation (a dark line of leaves/organic matter in the valley channel) or for sagging of the valley line itself.
Lead flashings: with binoculars, look at the lead step flashings on any chimney stacks visible from ground level. Lead that has been displaced from its mortar tuck shows as a slightly open joint at the upper edge of the flashing.
Gutter overflow staining: look at the wall surfaces directly beneath each gutter run. Persistent overflow leaves a dark staining pattern on masonry that grows over successive seasons.
Want a professional assessment after your self-inspection? Free survey with written condition report across Exeter and Devon. Call 01392 759 295.
📞 Call 01392 759 295Self-inspection identifies whether a professional survey is needed. Call a roofer when:
You see more than 3 displaced tiles in a consistent pattern. There is any visible daylight from the loft. The valley has been accumulating debris for more than one season. You can see the lead flashings on a chimney stack have moved from their original position. Moss coverage has advanced significantly since the last inspection. There is any ceiling staining near a chimney breast or at an outside corner.
Call immediately (emergency) when: Ridge tiles have been displaced in a storm and the felt is exposed. A chimney stack has moved visibly or partially collapsed. Active water is dripping through the ceiling.
The most useful thing a Devon homeowner can do is keep a simple maintenance log. A photo taken from the same position each spring and autumn creates a baseline for comparison. Changes that are invisible in a single inspection become obvious when comparing two images a year apart.
Note: date, weather in the past month, any tiles spotted as displaced, moss coverage estimate (low/medium/high for each slope), any gutter overflow staining, and the action taken. A three-year log transforms your understanding of your roof's maintenance cycle and makes conversations with roofers significantly more productive.
“Used this checklist before calling. Identified several issues. The roofer confirmed them all on survey. Efficient process.”
“Self-inspection found ridge tile displacement we hadn’t noticed. Emergency call, made safe the same day. Glad we checked.”
“Annual inspection routine established. Written condition report each time. Complete picture of the roof’s condition.”
Twice yearly: spring after the winter storm season, and November after peak leaf fall.
Ridge and hip condition, tile slippage patterns, chimney mortar and pot condition, gutter sag and overflow staining. Binoculars are useful.
Not without appropriate equipment and experience. Self-inspection from the ground and loft hatch is safe. Roof access should be left to professionals with correct safety equipment.
A treatment is overdue. Moss that was light 12 months ago and is now heavy indicates fast establishment rates — typical of north-facing slopes with tree canopy in Devon.
Daylight through the covering, wet patches on underlay, dark staining or soft timber on rafters, and a clear air path visible at the eaves.
When you see more than isolated issues: consistent tile slippage patterns, any daylight from the loft, visible lead flashing displacement, or ceiling staining.
Free survey with written condition report. Call 01392 759 295.
No call-out fee. No obligation. Local Devon roofers who turn up when they say they will.
01392 759 295Last reviewed: 21 July 2026
📞 Call Now — Free Quote