Lead Work in Stalham

Expert Lead Work
in Stalham

What Lead Work Is and Where It Sits on Your Roof

Lead flashing seals the gap between your roof covering and any upstand - a chimney, a dormer wall, a skylight frame, or the valley where two roof slopes meet. At these junctions, tiles and slates alone cannot keep water out. Correctly dressed lead, fixed into a chased mortar joint and clipped at the correct intervals, bridges that gap and directs water away from the structure beneath.

Lead is specified by Code number, which represents sheet thickness. The right Code depends on where the lead is used: Code 4 or 5 for most chimney and dormer flashings, Code 5 or 6 for valleys and parapet gutters. Getting the Code right matters - lead that is too light for the application ripples with temperature movement, fatigues, and cracks faster than it should.

You Have a Lead Problem: What to Do While You Wait

If you know or suspect your lead work has failed and you are waiting for a roofer to inspect and carry out the repair, there are useful steps to take and some things to avoid. Managing the situation in the interim can reduce the damage and make the roofer's job easier and cleaner when they arrive.

Step One: Find Out Where the Water Is Going

The first thing to do is work out what is getting wet inside. Check the loft or roof space with a torch if you can get up there safely. Look for damp patches on the felt underlay, wet or stained timber rafters, and any water sitting in insulation. Identifying which part of the roof space is affected helps pinpoint the flashing that is likely to be the source, and it tells the roofer where to look first.

If the roof space is not accessible, check the ceiling and upper walls of any rooms that sit directly below a chimney stack, dormer, or valley. A damp patch or stain does not always sit directly beneath the entry point - water can travel along a rafter before it drips - but it narrows the search considerably.

Step Two: Protect What Is Below

If water is actively getting in and reaching a ceiling, place a container to catch drips and move furniture, bedding, and any valuables away from the affected area. If the ceiling plaster is bulging, that means water has pooled on top of it. A bulging ceiling can come down suddenly. In that situation, keep everyone out of the room and do not poke, prod or pierce the ceiling.

Avoid using electrical fittings - lights, sockets, fans - in any room where water ingress is occurring above the ceiling until the situation has been assessed. Water that reaches wiring is a serious hazard.

Step Three: Note the Conditions

If you can do so safely, take photographs from the ground of any lead work that is visibly wrong - a flashing that has slipped, pointing that has dropped out, or lead that is standing proud of the brickwork. Photograph any internal staining or damp too. This is useful for the roofer and may also be needed if you are dealing with a landlord, a conveyancer, or any other party.

Note when you first noticed the problem and whether it appeared after a specific weather event. A failure that appeared after high winds is different from one that has been developing slowly over months, and that information helps with diagnosing the cause.

What Not to Do Yourself

It can be tempting to try a temporary fix while you wait. Some of these are reasonable and some will make the job harder or more expensive later. Here is what to avoid:

• Do not apply roof sealant or mastic over lead flashings yourself. Self-adhesive flashing tape and mastic sealants bond poorly to lead and to weathered mortar. They degrade quickly in UV light and tend to peel within a couple of seasons. Worse, they can trap moisture behind them, which accelerates the failure of the lead underneath. A roofer will need to remove all of this before they can properly re-dress the lead, which adds to the job cost.
• Do not go onto the roof. This is worth stating plainly. Roof pitches can be steep enough that a slip is a serious fall. Even a single-storey roof at a shallow pitch is hazardous without the right footwear, equipment, and experience. Slates and plain tiles can also crack underfoot if you stand in the wrong place, creating a new problem alongside the one you are trying to fix. If you cannot see the flashing from the ground or from a first-floor window, wait for the roofer.
• Do not put off an inspection if water is actively getting in. Lead failures rarely seal themselves. A gap that admits a trickle in moderate rain will admit much more in a heavy downpour. The longer water gets into timber, the greater the risk of rot and the higher the eventual repair cost.
• Do not assume it is always the lead. Other causes of a water track near a chimney include cracked chimney pots, failed chimney cap mortar, or eroded flaunching at the top of the stack. A roofer inspecting the lead will also check these, but it is useful to know that the lead is not always the culprit.

Temporary Covering: When It Helps and When It Does Not

In some situations, a tarpaulin or temporary cover over the affected area is appropriate, particularly if a chimney flashing has failed completely and significant rain is forecast before the repair can be made. This is a job for a roofer working from proper access equipment, not a DIY fix. A tarpaulin laid over a roof without being properly secured can be lifted by wind and cause more damage than it prevents. If you are in a situation where a temporary cover seems necessary, discuss it with the roofer when you call - they can advise whether it is practical for your roof.

What a Roofer Will Do When They Arrive

An inspection of failed lead work involves getting to the level of the flashing and assessing the condition of the lead itself, the mortar chase, the adjacent brickwork or masonry, and the roof covering around it. The roofer should be able to tell you whether the lead can be re-dressed and re-fixed in place, whether it needs to be replaced, and whether there is any underlying masonry or timber work needed before the new lead goes in.

For a straightforward chimney flashing repair or replacement, costs typically fall in the range of £300 to £700 depending on chimney size, the extent of any masonry work needed, and access requirements. These are guide figures - only a proper inspection gives an accurate price. Valley replacements will vary more depending on length and the condition of the adjacent tiles or slates.

Lead Work Across Stalham and Nearby

We cover Stalham and the surrounding villages, working across North Walsham, Mundesley, Trunch, Overstrand, Horning, Martham, Holt, Marsham, Rollesby, Lenwade, and Sheringham. If you have a lead problem and need it inspected, call us and we will arrange a survey to assess what is actually needed before any work is agreed.