1. Slipped, cracked or missing slates
Stand across the road or at the end of the garden and look along each slope. Gaps in the neat rows, slates sitting at an angle or pieces of slate on the ground after a windy night all mean water can reach the battens and felt underneath. One slipped slate is a small job. A winter of rain getting in behind it is not.
2. Stains on upstairs ceilings
Brown rings or bubbling paint on a bedroom or landing ceiling are the clearest sign water is already getting in. The stain is rarely directly under the leak: water runs along timbers first, so the source can be a metre or more away. That is why we trace it on the roof rather than just patching the obvious spot.
3. Moss and overflowing gutters
A little moss is cosmetic. A thick carpet holds water against the slates and lifts their edges, and it washes into the gutters and blocks them. If water pours over the gutter in heavy rain, it is running down your walls instead, which is how damp patches start inside.
4. A dip in the roof line
From the street, the ridge and the slopes should look straight. A gentle sag or a wavy slope can mean the timbers underneath have weakened, often from years of a slow leak. It is worth a proper look before it gets worse.
5. Crumbling chimney mortar or lifted lead
On older Manchester houses, the join between the chimney and the roof is where most leaks begin. Look for gaps in the pointing, loose chimney pots or lead flashing that has lifted away from the brick.
What to do next
None of these need to be alarming. Take a few photos, use our 60-second roof health check, or book a free survey. We will photograph what we find and tell you honestly what can wait and what cannot.
