Maintaining your leaky roof – Roof Leaks and How to Repair Them

As a homeowner, a few issues are as concerning as a leaking roof. A leaking roof poses immediate risks to your property and belongings and can lead to extensive and expensive damage if left unaddressed. Whether it's a small drip or a major leak, the consequences can be far-reaching, affecting the structural integrity of your home and even contributing to mould growth. By understanding the gravity of roofing leaks and adopting proactive measures, you can safeguard your home and enjoy peace of mind, even during the heaviest rainstorms.

We will also examine how to preserve the heritage charm even when addressing roof leaks and repairs. Explore practical methods to maintain the integrity of heritage structures while implementing necessary roofing repairs. We'll delve into the causes of roof leaks, steps to identify them and repair techniques.

Let’s start by looking at how roof leaks can occur…

Damaged or Missing Shingles: Weathering and age can cause tiles on heritage buildings to deteriorate, leading to water penetration.

Flashing Issues: Historical flashing materials may degrade over time, resulting in gaps or separations that allow water to infiltrate the roof.

Structural Settling: Over many years, heritage buildings may experience settling, leading to gaps and openings in the roofing system.

Inadequate Drainage: Insufficient or outdated drainage systems can contribute to water accumulation and leaks. Getting on top of a roof leak before it becomes a bigger problem is key, here are our tips for identifying leaks as soon as possible.

Respectful Interior Inspection: Carefully examine the interior of the building, paying attention to water stains, mould growth, or damp areas. Trace the source of the leak to pinpoint the affected roofing section.

Meticulous Exterior Inspection: Conduct a thorough examination of the roof's exterior, looking for missing or damaged tiles, deteriorated flashing, or compromised areas.

Preservation-Sensitive Water Testing: Utilise gentle water testing methods, such as low-pressure sprays, to identify potential leaks while minimising damage to fragile roofing materials. Think you’ve found a leak? Fear not, there’s different ways in which you can solve the leak and also future-proof your roof!

If you own a Heritage property you might be panicking about what this may mean for your roof, but there are options…

Consultation with Preservation Experts: You may decide to engage professionals with expertise in heritage preservation to develop a repair plan that respects the building's historical significance. This will of course be costly, but may be necessary.

Material Matching: Identify and source compatible roofing materials that closely resemble the original in colour, texture, and profile. This can be time consuming and costly, so ensure you have budgeted.

A Local Roofing Contractor Integrating an ISOLINE Roofing System: did you know that our sub-roof system is ideal for heritage buildings? It acts as a ‘roof under a roof’ taking care of the weatherproofing thus making the roof tiles purely an aesthetic aspect. This can remove doubt and provide great reassurance when embarking on a roof restoration project. It also means that you can retain your existing tiles and won’t have to worry about sourcing the correct materials or necessarily having to engage preservation experts. It is also important to note that tiles used below a manufacturer's recommended pitch or tiles that have been poorly fitted and started to leak are forgiven, as the sub-roof becomes the waterproofing guarantee.

Pictured below: a Heritage building undergoing repair works and the installation of our ISOLINE system to ensure preservation for many years to come. 

Through careful material selection, craftsmanship, and regular maintenance, it is possible to safeguard the historical value of these buildings while ensuring their durability, protection against roof leaks, and suitability for low-pitched roofs. By striking a balance between preservation, functionality, and adaptability, heritage buildings can continue inspiring admiration for future generations thanks to ISOLINE LOW LINE.

The ISOLINE system is designed to complement existing roofing to provide superior weather resistance, UV protection, and lightweight construction. The versatility of ISOLINE is highlighted by its unique ability to be constructed at ease and sit seamlessly under any existing roof structure. It is also suitable for low-pitched roofs and allows for effective water shedding and protection even on heritage buildings with unique roof structures!

Pictured: an installation of our ISOLINE LOW LINE system on a domestic property.

The ISOLINE LOW LINE corrugated sub-roof system was bre tested and BBA accredited - the test carried out on the sub-roof system involved rain penetration at a 10-degree roof pitch angle and the performance of the system was investigated using a purpose-built mono-pitch test roof. Made with a minimum of 50% recycled materials and a 30-year waterproof guarantee, the ISOLINE range offers significantly more than just value for money!

Your contractor can source our ISOLINE LOW LINE system at Wickes!

Regular maintenance is also key. Implement routine inspections and maintenance to identify and address potential issues before they escalate, minimising the need for significant repairs. You can also employ preservation-approved cleaning techniques to remove debris, moss, or algae from the roof without causing damage.

Perhaps it’s not your home that’s leaking, but an outdoor structure. Shed roof leaking? Summerhouse roof seen better days? Then you may also be interested in finding out more about our range of lightweight, watertight roofing systems.

Suitable for outdoor structures including garages, workshops, pergolas, sheds, animal coops and more. Our roofing offers a weatherproof system (say goodbye to leaks!) and teamed with our ONDUTISS AIR breathable underlay, you can be rest assured that your outdoor building will be protected from the elements. Our range extends to our tile looking ONDUVILLA sheets and our AA-fire rated roof shingles, BARDOLINE. Browse the full range here.

Don’t forget our lightweight and easy-to-install roofing can be purchased via Amazon and Wickes. Check out our full list of stockists.

Also, if you have any questions about our roofing, our team will be happy to help and you can contact us by calling 0207 727 0533 or emailing [email protected]. Discover the full range at onduline.co.uk