Roof leak repair, starting with finding the source

Water does not always drip straight down from where it enters. It can run along the underside of sarking boards, track down a rafter or soak sideways through insulation before it finally shows as a stain on a ceiling or a damp patch on a wall. That is why we start outside rather than at the mark indoors, working from the gutters and valleys up through flashings, slates or tiles to the ridge, and checking the loft for staining or damp timber wherever we can get in.

Once we are confident where the water is entering, we explain it in plain terms before discussing a repair. If a mark turns out to be old and dry rather than active, we will say so rather than quote for work that is not needed.

If a leak has just appeared, a bucket or tray under the drip and moving anything valuable out of the way deals with the immediate mess. Where a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, it is safer to keep the room clear. If lights or sockets are near the wet area, switching off that circuit at the fuse board is a sensible precaution until the roof has been looked at.

We would rather you called us than went onto the roof yourself to investigate, particularly in wet or windy weather. A photograph taken safely from the ground or an upstairs window, or from inside the loft with a torch, is genuinely useful when you get in touch.

The repair itself depends entirely on what caused the leak. A slipped or cracked slate or tile is refitted or replaced and the surrounding area checked. Lifted, split or sealant-patched lead flashing around a chimney or wall junction is re-dressed or renewed. A blocked or split valley is cleared or relined. A flat roof is patched where the deck beneath is sound, or the covering renewed where it has failed. Loose ridge or hip tiles are re-bedded, and a dropped or leaking gutter is cleared, realigned or replaced where that is the true cause.

Because the right repair depends on the cause, we inspect first and set out the proposed work in a written quote rather than offering a single fixed price for 'a leak'.

Most leaks are a single fault that can be put right on its own. Occasionally an inspection shows the problem is spread across several areas, such as slates slipping on more than one slope or underlay that has perished throughout the loft. When that is the case we will tell you plainly, and explain the options rather than quote for a patch that would only need repeating.

Call us and describe what you have noticed and where, ideally with a photo if you have one. We arrange a visit to inspect the roof and the affected area indoors where we can, then provide a written quote covering the diagnosis, the proposed repair and the materials involved. There is no obligation to proceed, and we would rather explain an option honestly than push unnecessary work.

Rowan Roofing is a family-run business that has traded for 16 years, with over 50 years of roofing experience in the family, based in Cardenden and covering Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and the surrounding area within our usual 50-mile reach.