‘Alligator cracks’ to 3mm trick – use our interactive tool to check 7 summer home danger spots that could cost you £21k

WE’RE all used to the harsh winter months wreaking havoc on our homes but after record sunny days this summer, experts are urging owners to take action. Long sunny stretches can cause buildings to expand and contract, which could damage your driveway, walls and roof and even your windows and doors. Here, we reveal the early warning signs to look out for and how to fix them to avoid forking out up to £21k in repair bills. Households should make some urgent checks on their home before the summer holidays are out Credit: Alamy Johan Dyer, founder of BuildBoss, gives his tips on how to spot seven signs of hot weather property damage Credit: Supplied There’s been a significant number of households reporting heat-related property damage so far this year. From April to June, home insurers settled claims for 3,600 properties before peak summer had even hit, according to the trade body, Association of British Insurers. But the good news is you don’t need to be a property expert to spot many of the early warning signs. Taking just 10 minutes to walk around your home and check for changes could help you to identify small problems before they turn into big expensive repairs, says Johan Dyer, founder of Buildboss, a firm that helps protect payments for builders and customers. Johan has decades of experience as a builder, having worked on a building site from the age of 10. “If you don’t deal with these warning signs early on, they could snowball into damage that costs THOUSANDS to repair,” he says. Use our tool to help you check your home NOW. Inspect for ‘alligator cracks’ on your roof These ‘alligator cracks’ can be found on damaged roofs – the key is to avoid minor cracks from getting worse Credit: Wikipedia Your roof is the first check to make – it’s exposed to direct sunlight all day, so bears the brunt of hot weather. If you have a bitumen roof – usually found on older properties and are made of a waterproof tar-like material – check for blistering and bubbling. This indicates air or moisture has become trapped beneath the membrane. Look out for fine fractures that resemble dried mud or severe deep cracks that look like alligator skin. This is a sign of advanced degradation and means the roof is nearing failure. Rubber roofs – usually found on newer builds – can crack and swell badly too. As well as checking for blistering and alligator cracks, look out for ‘chalking’. This is a white powdery residue on the surface which indicates the top layer of rubber is actively breaking down. COST OF REPAIR: Roof repairs can be costly. “An untreated leaky roof could lead to rot, mould and extensive water damage. Even a small patch will cost hundreds, but a full roof repair will go into the thousands,” says Johan. If you need a full roof replacement, on the average three bed house this can cost between £7,000 and £21,000, says consumer site Which?. HOW TO AVOID: Repair small cracks before they spread. You may be able to treat minor cracks with a repair compound, liquid membrane or a patch. You can buy a tub of liquid rubber roof coating from B&Q for £60, for example. Johan adds: “Don’t let water sit on the roof. Keep gutters and drains clear as standing water can exploit cracks and accelerate deterioration.” The 3mm windows & door check Get your ruler and measure any cracks on the walls. It could be a sign of subsidence Credit: Alamy Next up, check your windows and doors. If you spot diagonal cracks, it could be a sign of subsidence – which means that the ground beneath a building is sinking down. Whilst rare, subsidence can be more likely during hot, dry weather, particularly if your property is built on clay soil. Clay soil tends to feel sticky and mouldable when wet, but becomes very hard and can develop deep cracks during prolonged dry weather. Check the British Geological Survey website here to see if your house could be sitting on clay soil. Trees and large shrubs can increase the risk as their roots draw water from the soil. Check if the crack around the window or door is wider than 3mm or wider at its top and test if your doors and windows are difficult to open. If you have an extension, check where the edges meet the main house – these junctions can be more vulnerable to movement. “If untreated, the worst cases can lead to walls collapsing,” Johan says. COST: The average cost to fix subsidence in the UK is £12,500, according to Checkatrade. HOW TO AVOID: Don’t simply disguise a growing crack with filler. While it may make it look better, it won’t stop structural movement. They key is to get a specialist survey done as early as possible to avoid the problem worsening – otherwise it could cost more to fix. These surveys usually cost about £1,175, according to Checkatrade. The photo trick to spot damaged cladding Cladding can warp in hot weather, so make sure to take monthly photographs to monitor yours Credit: Alamy Check your cladding as it could expand and contract in the heat, causing boards to warp, twist, shrink. Cladding is usually found on the outside of a building to protect it against weather. It’s usually found on new builds or older estates. Look along the wall rather than straight at it – standing near one end of the building and looking down the length of the facade makes distortion easier to spot. “Look for bowing and bulging panels that no longer form a flat, even surface or buckling, where sections are pushing outwards, particularly around fixings or where boards meet,” Johan says. “Take a photograph from the same position every few months, so you can see whether a slight bow is getting worse.” COST: Timber cladding can be repaired for as little as £150, or it might cost up to £1,000, according to Checkatrade. In UPVC and composite cladding fixings are hidden and it can be hard to bring it back to its original shape, so new cladding could cost you thousands. Replacing one to two damaged panels could cost between £150 and £400. Recladding a small elevation could cost £2,000 plus up to £1,500 for scaffolding. HOW TO AVOID: Give your cladding room to breathe, Johan says. “The correct expansion gaps, secure—but not overtight—fixings and good ventilation can help prevent soaring temperatures turning small distortions into badly warped panels,” he adds. The mould hotspots to monitor Mould can gather behind furniture on the walls – but Johan says there’s plenty of ways to prevent it Credit: Alamy You might think mould issues only sprout up in winter, but hot humid weather can encourage growth, particularly in poorly ventilated areas. “If an area of your home is mouldy, it could get worse in the heat,” Johan says. Check behind wardrobes and sofas, particularly those positioned against external walls – these can be mould hotspots. Look for black, green, brown or white patches, a persistent mouldy smell or damp and discoloured walls or ceilings. Moisture behind the surface may cause paint or wallpaper to peel or lift. COST: Professional treatment for a small area of mould may cost £100 to £300 and for a whole room up to £700, according to Johan. Substantial damp-proofing work could cost as much as £5,000. HOW TO AVOID: There’s lots you can do to prevent mould. Open windows and use trickle vents to boost ventilation. Make sure air can circulate rather than leaving rooms shut up for long periods. Use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom and leave them on for a short period afterward cooking or showering. Wipe away persistent condensation from windows and sills and dry clothes outside when possible. If you’re drying them indoors, ventilate the room or use a dehumidifier rather than allowing all that moisture to remain in the house. Beware the potholes red flags Potholes can cause havoc on your driveway – but don’t ignore these big warning signs Credit: Alamy Make your way to the driveway – asphalt can soften, crack or develop potholes in hot weather. “Tarmac softening is a big issue,” Johan says. “In long periods of heat, tarmac will often deteriorate and break apart.” Look for soft or sticky patches, particularly if the area receives direct sunlight. Other signs include tyre marks or footprints becoming imprinted or ruts where vehicles have been parked. COST: A small crack or patch repair will cost between £100 and £300, Johan says. Resurfacing an existing driveway will cost between £40 and £70 per m2. A new driveway over 60m2 in size could cost £6,000 or more. HOW TO AVOID: Don’t ignore hairline cracks in tarmac. Seal them before water gets underneath. You can buy a tub of tarmac liquid crack filler for £27.95 from Amazon. Keep drainage clear and avoid leaving heavy loads on softened asphalt during extreme heat. Small weaknesses can eventually become expensive potholes. Quick fix for cluttered gutter There’s a quick fix for a cluttered gutter – get your trowel out and start clearing it now Credit: Alamy Even though we associate gutter maintenance with autumn and heavy rain, dry debris can become a fire risk in hot dry weather. If plants or weeds are growing from the gutter, there are visible leaves, moss or twigs or water spilling over the sides, it may cause the gutter to sag. COST: Repairing water damaged walls or render could cost anything from £100 to £2,000, according to Checkatrade. You may also need to redecorate indoors, which could cost from £300 to £1,000. HOW TO AVOID: Luckily there’s a quick fix – simply clear the clutter from your gutter. Set a ladder to a 75 degree angle to your wall on firm, level ground. Get a trowel to scrape out leaves, mud and twigs, then pour water into the highest end of the gutter channel to make sure water flows smoothly down – if it does, you’ve got rid of your blockage. The gap-in-fence inspection If your gaps between fencing boards look wider than usual, it’s time to take action Credit: Alamy Very dry ground can shrink and move around fence posts, potentially affecting their stability. Fence boards, posts and gates may also warp or bow in the heat. “Gaps may become noticeably wider between boards or around a gate,” Johan says. “A gate may also suddenly stick and you may struggle to close it properly.” Try to deal with cracks early using an exterior-grade wood filler. COST: If a DIY fixing up will suffice, it could cost just £10 to £50. Replacing one damaged fence panel could cost up to £250, Johan says, and if several need replacing, it could cost £2,500 or more. HOW TO AVOID: “Give your fence the wobble test,” says Johan. “Push each post gently and look for movement at ground level. “Tighten loose fixings, treat exposed timber and deal with leaning posts promptly—a slightly wobbly fence in summer could become a fallen one when the wind picks up.”