Checking a standing seam roof before its first winter

One snap-lock panel has a cover width of 510 mm, an overall width of 542 mm and a seam height of 25 mm. Other products have different widths and seam shapes. Record the designation of the panel installed on the house. Knowing only that it is a graphite-grey standing seam roof gives a roofer little to work with when ordering a replacement.

Raising the joint above the flat pan gives rain a less direct path inside. The seam must close correctly and suit the exposure and pitch. Inspect transverse joints, chimney and window flashings and abutments at walls. These details all contribute to the roof’s resistance to driven rain.

Water backed up behind ice or debris can reach joints differently from ordinary runoff. Before winter, inspect gutters and restrictions in the drainage path. Repairs should restore the intended detail. Smearing sealant across every joint can block drainage and conceal the cause of a leak.

Fresh plaster and screeds release moisture into the building during its first season. Moist air can pass through gaps and reach cold layers in the roof. If droplets appear below the metal, note when they form and the conditions indoors. Those observations help distinguish condensation from water entering at a seam.

Check the designed ventilation inlets and outlets and the continuity of the layers on the room side, including the air barrier. Blocking ventilation openings to keep out cold can delay drying. Choose the drying method to suit the roof build-up and the current stage of construction.

Even a clamp that needs no holes must be approved for the seam shape, material and loads involved. This applies to service equipment and snow retention systems. Check how the load from each fitting passes through the covering into the supporting structure.

An improvised clamp fitted just before winter can distort the lock or restrict the thermal movement of a sheet. A new cable or duct penetration also needs a properly formed weathering detail. Match the fixing and penetration detail to the roofing system as well as to the equipment.

Record any new knocking in high winds, loose flashings or signs of water indoors. Note the location and weather. A single sound as the temperature changes may be normal. Have repeated noise or visible deformation checked on site; a distant photograph gives limited information.

Low sun can make changes in reflection across wide metal pans more noticeable. Assess appearance under the viewing conditions specified for the system. Slight waviness alone does not establish a leak. Use installation records and on-site checks to assess concealed fixings.

Keep a description of the covering, photographs of junctions and a list of defects. Record any repair and its extent so the next inspection can identify recurring problems. Arrange safe access for inspection and cleaning. An icy slope should be inspected from a safe position.

A useful handover record identifies where water leaves the roof, which exposed junctions were checked and how the roof build-up allows moisture to escape. Add the contact responsible for follow-up so that the owner knows whom to call if symptoms recur over winter.