Cromer Roofers carries out leadwork repairs and replacements for homeowners in North Walsham - and if you are waiting for a roofer to arrive, here is what you need to know in the meantime.
A leaking chimney flashing or a failed valley is one of those problems that tends to reveal itself suddenly: a damp patch appears on the ceiling, or you notice water running down a chimney breast during heavy rain. Between spotting the problem and getting a roofer to the roof, there are a few practical steps that help and several instincts that are likely to make things worse.
Not every ceiling stain near a chimney is a flashing leak. Condensation inside a disused flue, a cracked chimney pot, or a single broken tile above the affected ceiling can all produce similar symptoms. Before calling a roofer, note when the damp appears - is it only during or immediately after rain? Or is it present even in dry weather? A stain that appears regardless of weather is more likely to be condensation or a plumbing issue than a roof leak. A stain that tracks with rainfall is a strong indicator of a failed flashing or a tile problem.
If you can do so safely from the ground, look at the roof with binoculars. Signs of flashing failure include lead that has visibly lifted away from the brickwork, a gap where the lead meets the mortar pointing, or a section that appears to be standing proud rather than lying flat against the surface.
If water is actively getting in, the priority is limiting the damage to your home's interior rather than to the roof itself. Wet roof timbers dry out; saturated plasterboard and stained ceilings are more expensive to put right the longer water continues to drip through them.
The temptation to reach for a tin of bitumen paint, a tube of roof sealant, or a roll of self-adhesive flashing tape is understandable, but it almost always creates more work for the roofer who eventually does the job properly. Here is why.
Lead needs to move as the temperature changes. It expands in warm weather and contracts in the cold, and a well-installed section of lead manages this through bay lengths, welted joints, and correct fixing. Sealants and tapes bond the lead to the surface and prevent this movement. The bond fails as the lead tries to move, usually within one or two seasons, and when it does the joint is harder to work with than it would have been without the sealant.
Beyond that, adhesive residue left on old lead can prevent a new patch from bonding correctly, and bitumen-based products applied over cracked flashings can mask the extent of the damage, making it harder for a roofer to assess what actually needs doing.
If the leak is severe and you need a temporary measure before a professional can get there, a heavy-duty tarpaulin secured over the affected section of roof is a more honest solution. It does not damage the lead underneath, and it is clearly temporary rather than mistaken for a repair.
Lead dressing looks straightforward, but the details matter enormously. The correct code (thickness) of lead must be used for each location. Bay lengths must not exceed 1.5 metres without an expansion joint. Soakers must be fitted under each tile course where a roof slope meets a vertical surface. Chases into masonry must be cut to the right depth and pointed with the right compound.
A DIY re-dress that omits any of these steps may stop the leak briefly, but it will fail again and may also prevent a roofer from fitting the job correctly afterwards because the tiles have been disturbed or the chase has been filled inappropriately. The Lead Sheet Association guidelines exist precisely because this work has a right way and a wrong way, and the consequences of the wrong way are a repeat leak.
When you contact a roofer, a few pieces of information help them prepare the right materials and give you a more accurate price estimate before they visit:
This is not information you need to go onto the roof to gather. A roofer will carry out their own assessment from the roof before starting work, but the background helps.
For a chimney flashing repair or replacement, a roofer will access the stack, assess the existing lead, and decide whether sections can be retained or need to be lifted entirely. Old lead is removed and taken away. The chase in the mortar joints is raked out to an appropriate depth. New lead, cut to the correct code and length, is dressed into place, turned into the chase, and pointed back in. Adjacent tiles or slates are lifted to fit soakers where required and relaid correctly.
For a valley replacement, the tiles either side of the valley are lifted and set aside. The old lead is removed. New lead at code 5 or code 6 is cut, dressed, and lapped correctly along the length of the valley with drips at each bay. The tiles are relaid on both sides. The job leaves no exposed fixings and no sealant at any joint.
A typical chimney flashing replacement on a standard house costs in the region of £300 to £700. A valley replacement can range from £600 to £2,000 or more depending on length and access. If scaffolding is needed, that cost should be included in the quote from the start.
If you have a leaking flashing or a suspect valley in North Walsham and you want a proper assessment before deciding what to do, call Cromer Roofers and ask for a roof survey. We are based in Cromer and cover North Walsham and nearby towns. We will tell you clearly what we find, what it needs, and what it will cost before any work begins.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
