The autumn is always a good time to check out if your flat roof needs repairs. That way, you can avoid the consequences of any faults that exist now worsening over the winter and leaving it in a sorry state long before March comes around.

However, while general wear and tear over time can be the cause of damage, specific incidents can do a lot more and this is certainly true when autumnal storms hit.

Storm Ciaran was, thankfully, not something to worry householders around Stockport and Manchester. It may have rained a lot and been a bit windy at times, but this was nothing compared to the devastation visited upon parts of southern England and even more so the Channel Islands.

Islanders suffered major property damage, with fallen trees, flying debris, and the sheer force of wind causing massive damage to roofs and other parts of properties.

Ciaran is the third storm the Met Office has named this autumn, following Agnes in September and Bebet in mid-October. In the case of Bebet, it was parts of Scotland that were hit hardest.

It is anyone’s guess where might be next to be clobbered by storms. Even if they are not as bad as the hurricane-force winds that lashed Guernsey and Jersey, they may be more than strong enough to cause damage to many a roof.

Should you be on the receiving end of such a storm, it will be important to get help to fix the roof as soon as possible. If it is leaking, that will open it up to further water ingress every time it rains, while anything weakened by one storm could be more vulnerable to further damage the next time bad weather comes.

On the other hand, if you have a flat roof needing repairs now, getting the work done could help make it much more robust, giving it a better chance of handling whatever the weather throws at it over the next few months.