If you've spotted a damp patch near your chimney or dormer, lead flashing failure is the most likely cause - and Poringland Roofers carry out lead work across Norwich properly, cutting and dressing new lead rather than reaching for a tin of sealant.
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Lead flashing is the strip of metal that seals the join between a roof covering and a vertical surface - a chimney stack, a dormer cheek, a parapet wall, or where a lean-to roof meets a house wall. When it works, it's invisible. When it starts to fail, water finds its way in at the exact point where the roof is most vulnerable.
The warning signs are not always obvious from the ground, and by the time you notice something inside, water may already have been getting in for months. Knowing what to look for helps you act before the damage spreads.
A damp patch on a ceiling near a chimney breast is the classic sign. The patch often appears after rain and dries out in dry weather, which leads some people to assume it's a one-off. It isn't. Each wetting cycle pulls moisture further into the plaster and timber.
Any of these deserves a proper roof inspection, not a wait-and-see approach. Water damage to roof timbers is expensive to put right, and the longer it's left, the worse it gets.
If you can see the roof from an upstairs window or from a neighbouring garden wall, look for these:
Sealant applied over failing lead is a temporary fix at best. Sealant cracks as the lead moves with temperature changes, and it conceals the underlying problem rather than solving it.
Lead is a long-lasting material when it's correctly installed, but there are several reasons it deteriorates over time.
Thermal movement. Lead expands and contracts significantly with temperature. If sheets are fixed in too long a run without allowance for movement, the lead cracks or pulls away from the mortar joints. This is why lead is installed in sections, with overlapping joints rather than one continuous strip.
Incorrect code for the application. Lead is graded by thickness - Code 3 through to Code 8, with higher numbers being thicker and heavier. Step flashings and cover flashings typically need Code 4 or Code 5. Valley linings usually need Code 5 or Code 6. Using underweight lead for the application is a common cause of premature failure - it simply isn't strong enough to handle foot traffic, weather exposure, and repeated movement.
Poor fixing into mortar. The top edge of a chimney flashing is tucked into a raked mortar joint and held with lead wedges, then pointed over. If the pointing fails or was never done properly, the flashing lifts in wind. Raking out the joint and re-fixing correctly is part of any thorough repair.
Age. Lead installed decades ago was often Code 3 or was put in by hands that didn't dress it tightly to the brickwork. Oxidation and weathering do their work over the years, and eventually a full replacement is the right answer.
Most lead work on domestic properties falls into a handful of categories. Each has its own requirements and, broadly, its own cost range.
Prices depend on the size of the job, the code of lead required, access, and whether any brickwork repointing is included. As a general guide for domestic work in Norfolk:
These are working ranges for competent lead work with proper fixings and pointing - not sealant over the top of the old lead. Scaffold or tower access is costed separately where it's needed, and any plasterwork or decorating inside is a separate trade.
A thorough repair begins with stripping out any existing sealant or failed flashing back to clean brickwork and tile. The mortar joint is raked out to the correct depth to allow the new lead to be tucked in and wedged securely. The lead is cut to length, dressed tightly to the profile of the tiles or roof covering, and fixed with lead-headed or copper nails where needed. Joints between sections are lapped in the correct direction to shed water. The mortar chase is then pointed with a suitable mortar mix.
Good lead work takes time. Rushing the dressing step or skipping the correct fixings is how failure happens in the first place. If you're asking a roofer to quote for lead work in Norwich, ask them which code of lead they'll be using and whether the mortar joint will be raked and re-pointed as part of the job.
We cover Norwich and carry out lead work on chimneys, dormers, abutment walls, and valleys. If you've seen any of the warning signs on this page, call us and we'll arrange a roof survey so you know exactly what needs doing and why.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
