Spotted the tell-tale signs of a leaking roof? You might have noticed wet patches or stains on the ceiling or around a chimney breast, or even heard a dripping sound in the loft.
This can be a real headache for homeowners, but it’s common – especially after stormy weather or for older properties where the roof is nearing the end of its lifespan.
The good news is that in many cases, leaks can be resolved with some simple roof repairs. You might just need a tile or slate replacing. But in some cases, it can involve more substantial work.
Below, we’ll run through what to do if you have a leaking roof, and what are the most effective treatments to resolve the problem.
First Steps
If you’ve noticed the signs of a leak, the first thing to do is to call a professional roofer. However, this might not always be possible – it might be the middle of the night, for example. You might also have to wait a few days for your roofer to get to you, especially if there’s been a particularly bad patch of stormy, rainy or windy weather. The best roofers get very busy during these times.
So while you wait, you’ll need to take some steps to protect your property from water ingress.
Here’s what to do:
- Put a bucket under any dripping water entering your property. You might have to go into the loft to find it. You can put a towel in the bottom of the bucket to dampen any annoying dripping sounds that may stop you from getting to sleep. You might also want to put towels down under and around the bucket.
- Take photos of any damage – you might need them to show a roofer, or for insurance claims.
- Move furniture, rugs and any other belongings out of harm’s way.
Try to Identify the Source of the Leak
While you’re waiting for your roofer, you can do a little detective work. It can speed up the roof repairs if you’re able to pinpoint the problem area. Here are a few things to check out:
- If there are any slates, tiles or shingles missing – you might be able to see this from outside, but you can also pop your head in the loft and see if you can spot any light coming through from outside.
- Signs of moisture in the loft
- Clogged or damaged gutters
- Bowing, sagging or water pooling on flat roofs
- Signs of damage to flashing on your conservatory roof, or where your conservatory joins the house.
What Kinds of Roof Repairs May be Needed?
You’ll need an experienced roofer to carry out a full inspection to identify the cause and source of the leak. This will determine what work is needed to fix it.
It could be something as simple as a handful of roof tiles in need of replacement, because they’ve deteriorated with age or been blown off in a storm. Other potential remedies may include:
- Flashing work needs redoing or repairing
- Repointing work to chimney stacks
- Ridge tiles need replacing or repairing.
In the worst-case scenario, your roof may need replacing. This can happen with old roofs, where there have been multiple points of failure. You could spend money patching up some of these, but problems can soon happen again. So expensive as it may be, it might be more cost-effective to have the whole roof replaced.
Can I Repair the Roof Myself?
Unfortunately, roofing is not one of those jobs you can tackle yourself. Not only is it dangerous working at height, but you’re not likely to have the right tools, skills and experience as a non-professional.
So always leave this kind of work to the experts.