Roof Repairs Newcastle

Finding the real source of a leak

Water that gets through a roof rarely drops straight down. It runs along sarking, battens and rafters before it finds a ceiling to stain, so the entry point can be well away from the mark you can see. We start inside, looking at the stain, the roof space and any wet timber, then go up and check everything upslope of it. Heavy rain adds another layer. When a storm dumps a lot of water in a short time, overflowing gutters, blocked downpipes or undersized box gutters can push water back into the eaves or walls and look exactly like a roof leak. Flooding around a house is a separate issue again: water coming up from the ground or through doors is not evidence that the roof has failed. We will tell you which one you are dealing with, so you fix the right thing.

• ✔Stains that appear only in heavy rain often point to gutters, valleys or flashings being overwhelmed
• ✔Stains that appear in any rain usually mean a direct entry point such as a cracked tile or failed screw
• ✔Leaks near chimneys, skylights, vents and wall junctions are very often flashing problems
• ✔Damp in the roof space with no rain can be condensation, which needs a different fix

Metal roof leaks and metal roof repairs

Metal roofs leak for different reasons. Roofing screws loosen as the sheets expand and contract, and their rubber washers perish in the sun, leaving a small gap at every fixing. Laps between sheets can let water creep in on low pitches. Old silicone patches crack and let go. Rust tends to start where water or debris sits: at the gutter end of the sheets, at laps and under lead or copper runoff, since dissimilar metals speed up corrosion. On homes near the coast, sheltered areas that rain does not wash can hold salt and corrode sooner. Repairs range from replacing screws and resealing laps to cutting in new sheet sections or replacing whole sheets where rust has gone through.

• ✔Replacing loose, rusted or perished screws with new roofing screws and washers
• ✔Refixing lifted sheets and ridge capping after wind
• ✔Replacing sheets or sections that are rusted through
• ✔Resealing laps and penetrations with products made for metal roofing

When a repair is not enough

A repair is the right answer when the rest of the roof is in reasonable shape. If we find the same problem repeating across the roof, such as ridge pointing failing everywhere, lichen and porous tiles all over, or screws perished on every sheet, fixing one spot will just move the leak to the next. In that case we will say so and explain what a restoration or replacement would involve, with the repair still quoted separately so you can choose. You will not be pushed into a bigger job to fix a small problem.