Before spring rains expose every gap, it is worth inspecting the roof after winter. Check the gutters, flashings, fixings and any damp signs in the attic. Some faults can be seen from ground level, but the roof slope should be assessed by someone equipped to work at height. You need to establish what requires repair and what merely cleaning. Walk around the building in good light, watching for distorted gutters, loose downpipes and flashings that have come away from the edge. Photos taken from a safe spot will later help the roofer pinpoint the problem.

Consider additional roof slope ventilation elements when air cannot flow freely from the eaves to the upper part of the slope. They will not compensate for a poorly designed gap or a completely closed inlet. First establish which space you are ventilating – this concerns the gap under the covering, not rooms in the attic. Check whether the basic system works and whether roof windows, chimneys or valleys disrupt the flow. On a metal roof, the element must match the profile and layer arrangement.