Advice
Why chimneys and lead flashing leak
Ask any roofer where leaks most often start and the answer is usually the same: where something comes through the roof. Chimneys are the classic example.
Why chimneys are vulnerable
A chimney interrupts the roof covering, so the joint between the two has to be sealed — usually with lead flashing. That joint takes the full force of wind and driven rain.
The chimney itself also weathers. Pointing between the bricks erodes, render cracks, and the flaunching at the top can break down, letting water into the masonry.
How leadwork fails
Lead is durable but not immortal. Over decades it can crack, lift at the edges or pull away from the wall. Valleys, aprons and soakers — the other lead details on a roof — fail the same way.
Poor previous repairs are common too. Mastic and tape over failed flashing is a temporary measure at best.
How it is put right
Proper repair means renewing the flashing or repointing the masonry correctly, not sealing over the top. We trace where the water is actually getting in, explain what we find and repair the detail itself. Quotations are free and without obligation.
Talk it through with a roofer
If this sounds like your roof, we can take a proper look. Related service: Chimneys & Leadwork. Quotations are free and without obligation.
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