Do you have a roof leak?
Pickles Bros tips –
There are a number of reasons why your roof might leak. Here’s a brief list of them, for a free survey/advice or more information please contact our office tel: (0113) 2752620 and Jenny at Pickles Bros (Roofing Contractors) will be waiting to take your call.
- Roofing felt – one of the most common reasons for older roofs to leak is the failure of the underlay and battens. The purpose of the underlay, is to carry such water ingress away to the gutter. Houses with added bathrooms produce more moisture-laden air, which can cause failure of the underlay if not ventilated effectively.
- Junctions – Flashings at junctions that have been incorrectly installed/perished or detailed can leave valleys vulnerable as water is directed towards them due to the geometry of the roof.
- Roof windows – If you have a loft conversion, you are likely to have windows in your roof, which can cause leaks. Again incorrectly installed flashings can cause this.
- Lean-to extensions – Smaller lower roofs that water is discharged to are not built to cope with large amounts of excess water and tiles and slates are likely to cause water ingress.
- Tiles & slates – These are the least likely parts to leak, but sometimes water can come through your tiles. If you think this may be happening, check that they are laid at or above the minimum recommended roof pitch.
- Condensation – Occasionally, water inside the home can be the cause of suspected leaks. If a roof space is not correctly ventilated, condensation may form on the underside of the felt or tiles and can drip onto your ceiling, looking like a leaky roof.
- Roof ventilation – If a ventilator is leaking, check it is not condensation rather than rainwater. This is common in mechanical extraction systems where the pipe runs through the loft space has not been properly insulated all the way through the roof to the outside.