Perth's roofing calendar
Most of Perth's rain arrives between May and September, usually carried in on cold fronts with strong north-westerly then south-westerly winds. The rest of the year is mostly dry, with long hot spells, strong UV and the occasional summer thunderstorm or hail. Easterly winds bring dust in summer, and coastal suburbs cop salty sea breezes most afternoons.
That pattern gives you a simple rhythm. Prepare in autumn, monitor through winter, repair in spring and protect in summer. The tasks below suit most Perth homes, whether you have concrete tiles, terracotta or COLORBOND steel.
A note on safety before anything else: roofs are slippery, brittle and high. Do what you can from the ground or a ladder, and leave walking on the roof to a professional with the right fall protection.
Autumn: get ready for the wet
Autumn (March to May) is the most valuable time to look after your roof. Problems found now can be fixed in dry weather, before the first big front arrives.
Clear gutters, valleys and downpipes
Leaves, seed pods and dust settle over summer. When the first heavy rain arrives, blocked gutters overflow into eaves and wall cavities, and choked valleys can push water back under tiles. Clear everything out and run a hose down each downpipe to make sure it flows freely.
Check the ridge capping
On tile roofs, the mortar bedding and pointing that hold ridge and hip capping in place crack and loosen with age and heat. Gaps let water and wind in. Re-bedding and re-pointing is routine work for a roofer and far cheaper than repairing a water-damaged ceiling.
Look at flashings
Flashings seal the joins around chimneys, walls, skylights, vents and solar mounts. Look for lifted edges, rust, cracked sealant or gaps. These are a leading cause of leaks that only show up when the wind drives rain sideways.
Trim overhanging branches
Branches that brush the roof wear away coatings and drop leaves straight into valleys. Strong winter winds can also bring them down onto the roof. Trim them back, and get an arborist for anything large.
Winter: watch and respond
Once the rain starts, your job is mostly to watch for signs of trouble.
- Check ceilings, cornices and the tops of walls for new stains or bubbling paint.
- Have a look in the roof space with a torch after heavy rain, if you can do so safely.
- Watch gutters during a downpour for overflows.
- After a strong front, walk around the house and look for lifted sheets, slipped tiles or debris.
If water is coming in, catch it, move valuables and switch off power to any wet light fittings. Then call for help. Our guide to roof leaks and water damage covers what to do first, and storm damage roof repairs explains the steps after a severe front. Take photos for your insurer before anything is moved.
Spring: repair what winter revealed
Spring (September to November) is a good time to fix anything that leaked or moved over winter, while the weather is mild enough for comfortable roof work.
- Book a roofer to repair any leaks you noticed, while you still remember where they were.
- Replace cracked or slipped tiles, and loose or rusted screws on steel roofs.
- Check sarking from inside the roof space for tears or sagging.
- Clear gutters again, as spring growth and nesting birds can block them.
- Check whirlybirds and vents still spin and seal properly.
If repairs keep stacking up year after year, it may be time to think about a bigger job. Our list of signs you need a roof replacement can help you decide.
Summer: heat, UV and dust
Perth summers are hard on roofing materials. Long runs of 35°C-plus days and strong UV dry out sealants, age coatings and bake mortar.
Protect the roof surface
Keep debris off the roof so it does not trap moisture or stain the finish. Steel roofs near the coast benefit from an occasional rinse in sheltered spots that rain does not reach, to remove salt build-up. Avoid letting water from copper pipes or old lead flashings run onto steel or Zincalume.
Think about heat in the roof space
If your upstairs rooms bake, the roof space may be poorly ventilated or under-insulated. Whirlybirds, ridge vents or eave vents help hot air escape, and good sarking plus ceiling batts slow heat moving into the house. Read more in roof ventilation in Perth.
Bushfire season
If you live in the Perth Hills or another bushfire-prone area, clear leaves from gutters and valleys regularly through summer. Embers can ignite dry debris on or around the roof. Check that gaps under tiles and around vents are sealed or screened.
A year at a glance
| Season | Main focus | Key tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Prepare | Gutters, valleys, ridge capping, flashings, trim trees |
| Winter | Monitor | Watch for leaks, check after fronts, document damage |
| Spring | Repair | Fix leaks, replace tiles and screws, check sarking |
| Summer | Protect | Keep debris clear, rinse coastal steel, check ventilation |
Material-specific tips
Concrete and terracotta tiles
Concrete tiles are porous, and their surface slowly erodes with age, which can lead to moss and lichen in shady spots. Terracotta is more durable but brittle, so foot traffic easily cracks it. Both rely on ridge capping and valley irons staying sound.
COLORBOND and Zincalume steel
Steel roofs mostly need clean gutters, sound fixings and a rinse in protected areas. Watch for rust around cut edges, screw heads and where debris sits. Do not use abrasive cleaners.
Asbestos cement roofs
If your roof is older corrugated fibro sheeting, do not walk on it, cut it, drill it or clean it with water pressure. WorkSafe WA requires a licensed asbestos removalist for removing more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos. Check with WorkSafe WA for current rules, and see our asbestos roof replacement page.
Coastal and hills homes need a little extra
Where you live in the Perth metro area changes the routine slightly.
Near the coast
Homes within reach of the afternoon sea breeze, in suburbs such as Cottesloe, Scarborough or Rockingham, collect salt on every exposed surface. Rain washes the open parts of the roof, but salt builds up under eaves, around fixings and on gutters that sit in shelter. Rinse those areas with a hose every few months, and ask your roofer to look closely at screw heads, flashings and cut edges during each check.
In the hills
Perth Hills homes in suburbs such as Kalamunda often sit under tall trees and face more leaf litter, possums and bushfire risk. Gutter guards can reduce the clean-up load, but they still need checking. After any summer storm, look for fallen branches and blocked valleys before the next rain arrives.
Booking a maintenance check
A professional check once every year or two, ideally in autumn, catches most problems early. If you would like a local roofer to inspect your roof and quote any roof repairs, request a free on-site quote and we will arrange it.