Poringland Roofers carry out lead flashing work across Wymondham, using the right grade of lead for each application - because the material choice is where a long-lasting repair starts.
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When a roofer talks about lead work, the conversation should start with the material itself. Lead is graded in codes - Code 3 being the thinnest and lightest, through to Code 8, which is heavy enough for specialist structural applications. For most domestic roof flashings, the correct codes are Code 4 or Code 5, and for valleys or parapet gutters, Code 5 or Code 6. Using the wrong code is one of the most common reasons a flashing fails within a few years of being installed.
If you're arranging lead work on a property in Wymondham or nearby in the Norwich area, asking which code of lead will be used is one of the most useful questions you can put to a roofer. A straight, confident answer is a good sign. A vague one is not.
Lead sheet is rolled to a specific thickness, and each thickness is assigned a code number. The code also corresponds to a colour-coded backing paper on the roll, which makes identification straightforward on site.
The Lead Sheet Association publishes guidance on which code is appropriate for each application. A roofer who follows those recommendations is doing the job correctly; one who uses Code 3 across the board is cutting corners.
Lead is not the only option for flashing. There are alternatives on the market, and it's worth understanding what they are and where they sit alongside traditional milled lead.
Milled lead is the traditional material for roof flashings. It has been used on buildings in Norfolk and across the country for centuries, and when correctly installed it outlasts most of the alternatives by a considerable margin. Code 5 lead on a chimney stack, installed with proper fixings and pointing, is a very long-lasting solution - though the exact lifespan depends on exposure, maintenance, and the quality of the original installation.
There are flexible lead-free flashing products made from a polymer or mineral compound. These are lighter than lead and can be a practical option for small repairs or in situations where lead theft is a concern.
Self-adhesive bitumen tape products are widely available in builders' merchants and are sometimes used as a quick patch repair. They are not a substitute for proper lead flashing.
We do not use flashband or mastic sealant as a finished repair. If a previous roofer has applied these over failing lead, the correct approach is to strip them out and start from scratch with properly fixed flashing.
On a tiled roof where a chimney or dormer intersects the slope, the individual tiles at the side of the stack are cut and a small piece of lead - called a soaker - is slipped under each tile and turned up against the brickwork. The cover flashing then laps over these soakers. Without proper soakers, the flashing is doing all the work itself and is far more likely to leak.
Many older repairs omit soakers entirely, relying on one continuous strip of lead pressed hard against the brickwork. This rarely lasts well. When specifying a chimney flashing, confirm that the job includes soakers under the tiles, not just a cover flashing on the surface.
Lead is a commodity material and its price moves with metal markets, so costs do vary. As a working guide for domestic properties in the Wymondham and Norwich area:
These ranges assume properly specified lead at the correct code, mortar joints raked out and re-pointed, and lead dressed tightly to the tile profile. Scaffold or tower hire is an additional cost where it is needed for safe access.
The most useful thing you can do before accepting a quote for lead work is to ask two questions: what code of lead is being used, and will the mortar chase be raked out and re-pointed? If the answer to both is satisfactory, you are at least starting in the right place. If a quote comes back unusually cheap, it is often because a lighter code has been assumed or soakers have been omitted.
We serve Wymondham and the surrounding area and carry out lead flashing work to the correct specification for each application. Call us to arrange a roof survey so we can confirm exactly what code and type of lead your job requires.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
