After a storm: what to check on your gutters and roof

Steps

1. Walk around the house from the ground. Look for branches on the roof or hanging in gutters, broken or shifted tiles, gutters bent or pulled away from the fascia, and downpipes knocked off the wall.
2. Don't go up while it's wet or windy. Roofs stay slippery for hours after rain, and more storms often follow. Wait for a dry, still day.
3. Check the ceilings inside. Look for water stains, drips or sagging plaster, especially near outside walls and under box gutters. Sagging plaster can be holding water, so keep people out from under it and call for help.
4. Clear the ground-level drains. Lift the grates on stormwater pits and scoop out leaves so the next downpour can get away.
5. Photograph damage before anything is moved. Your insurer will want to see it.
6. Get ready for the next one. VicSES advises keeping gutters, downpipes and drains clear of debris, trimming branches back from the house, and securing outdoor furniture and trampolines.

If that didn't help

• Roof damaged and water coming in? Call VicSES on 132 500 for emergency help.
• Gutter bent, split or torn off the fascia? That's a repair for a licensed roof plumber, not a clean.
• Tree down or a branch hanging over the house? That's an arborist's job, not one for a ladder.