All he surveys: Grant Crossley talks up a storm and reveals his home health checks following inclement weather

Allegedly, bad weather always looks worse through a window. However, post-Christmas, we’ve battened down the hatches and hunkered down to battle the torrential rain and gale-force winds – all of which has put a severe strain on our homes.

I’m no Michael Fish, but inevitably, after a storm comes the calm – now is the time to get prepared.

Your home is often your biggest financial asset. Should you decide to ignore any problems now, you run the risk of haemorrhaging your hard-earned cash on putting things right in the future.

Ride out the storm, put your coats on and head outside to assess any damage – the exterior of your building is your first line of defence against the weather.

So, what are you looking for? GRANT’S EXTERNAL TIPS Check the roof
Water penetration, especially wind-driven rain, is a common problem. If you have a pitched roof, check for any slipped, missing or broken roof tiles and slates. Most roofs can be viewed from street level, although should you decide to get the ladder out, read up about working at heights. But, remember, you can always call a professional if in need.

A fantastic map was given to me in the shop

Look for any missing or upturned lead flashings or similarly broken cowls. Cowls are fitted to chimney pots to increase the draft and prevent the wind and rainwater entering into your chimney, and they’re also named after a monk’s hood.

If you have a flat roof, check for signs of cracking, blistering, and standing water. Surprisingly, even small hairline cracks or fissures can lead to unwelcome damp.

Check the gutters
Head towards the eaves of your property. The eave is the projecting bottom edge of your roof, forming an overhang to throw rainwater away from your exterior walls; but nowadays this is collected by guttering (secretly listening to an inside conversation under these is where eavesdropping comes from).

Check that fascias and soffits are intact. Clean out any leaves and debris which can block up the guttering, and replace any broken sections, missing stop-ends and brackets. Should you find any blockages in the rainwater downpipe you may need to call a professional.