Emergency Roof Repairs in Mildenhall

How we handle emergency roof repairs

Urgent roof problems in Mildenhall

A roof that is letting in water, has tiles missing after a storm, or has a flashing that has lifted away from the wall is not something to leave until it is convenient. Water finds its way through small gaps, and what starts as a damp patch on a ceiling can go on to damage the roof timbers. This page explains what counts as a genuine roofing emergency, how to keep safe and limit the damage, and how we handle calls from homeowners across Mildenhall and the surrounding villages.

How to tell whether your roof problem is urgent

Not every roof fault needs to be dealt with today, but some do. The situations below are ones where delay will make the damage worse and the repair more expensive.

• Water is actively dripping or running into the property, particularly near light fittings, sockets or the consumer unit.
• A ceiling is sagging, bulging or has a visible wet stain that is spreading.
• Tiles, slates or ridge tiles are missing or visibly displaced after high winds.
• Lead flashing around a chimney, dormer or where a roof meets a wall has lifted away or cracked, leaving an open gap.
• A flat-roof membrane has split or lifted, or water is ponding because an outlet is blocked.
• A valley between two roof slopes is blocked with debris, causing water to overflow into the roof rather than drain away.

Blocked gutters and downpipes are a common cause of what looks like a sudden leak. When water backs up behind a blocked outlet it can force its way under tiles or into the fascia board. If you can see an overflowing gutter from the ground, it is worth noting that as the likely entry point when you speak to us.

Keeping safe and limiting the damage

The most important rule is: do not go on the roof yourself. Even a gentle pitch is dangerous without the right equipment, and wet tiles are far more slippery than they look. Everything that follows can be done safely from inside the property or from ground level.

Water and electrics: If water is coming through near a light fitting, socket, switch or fuse box, do not touch the fitting or the switch. Do not touch a wet consumer unit. If the consumer unit is dry and you can reach it without going near the water, you may turn off the main switch. If there is any doubt, leave the electrics alone and call a qualified electrician. Water and mains electricity together are a serious hazard.

Contain the water: Place buckets or bowls under drips, lay down towels or plastic sheeting to protect flooring and belongings, and move furniture, electronics and anything else valuable away from the affected area. The less damage water does before the roof is fixed, the better.

Photograph everything: Take clear, dated photos of the damage - both outside (from the ground) and inside. Photograph the wet ceiling, any displaced tiles or flashings you can see from the garden, and the water level in any containers you are using to catch drips. Those photos matter if you need to make an insurance claim.

Do not poke a bulging ceiling: A ceiling that is bowing downward is holding a quantity of water. If it comes down while someone is standing underneath it, the result can be serious injury. Keep the room clear and leave the ceiling alone until it has been properly assessed.

Make-safe work versus permanent repair

When a roofer visits after a storm or an active leak, the first priority is to stop water getting in. That may mean fixing a tarpaulin or temporary sheeting over the damaged section to keep the rain out. These are make-safe measures, not finished repairs.

Temporary work buys time for the materials and access equipment needed for a permanent repair to be arranged. On a straightforward slipped tile on a low-pitched roof with good access, a roofer may be able to fix the permanent repair in the same visit using roof ladders. For larger areas of damage, steep pitches, or work on a chimney or parapet, scaffolding or a mobile elevated platform will be needed. The need for safe access affects both the cost and the timing of the permanent repair - it is one of the main variables to discuss when you speak to us.

After any leak repair, a good roofer will check the underlay, battens and roof timbers in the affected area, not just the visible fault on top. A missing tile lets water reach the battens and the underlay together, and if the underlay has failed, water can travel on to the roof timbers. Plain clay tiles and slates are double-lapped, meaning one missing piece does not leave a straight-through hole, but water can still track sideways behind the course below.

Common emergency faults by roof type

Pitched roofs with plain tiles or slates: Slipped slates from nail sickness, cracked or broken plain clay tiles, mortar-bedded ridge tiles lifting in wind. Older roofs may have no underlay at all, making even a small gap more serious.

Pitched roofs with interlocking concrete tiles: Interlocking tiles are single-lapped, so a cracked or missing tile leaves a more direct route for water. Ridges on newer roofs often use dry-fix systems rather than mortar, but the fixings can work loose.

Flat roofs: A split or lifted felt or EPDM rubber membrane lets water through. Standing water on a flat roof usually means a blocked outlet or a fall that is no longer adequate. A split needs repairing to stop the leak, while standing water points to a separate drainage fault that also needs looking at.

Flashings and junctions: Lead flashing that has simply lifted can often be dressed back into place and resealed. Lead that is cracked, split or has corroded through needs replacing.

Chimneys and dormers: The junction between a chimney or dormer and the main roof is one of the most common points of failure. Mortar around chimney pots and lead stepped flashings deteriorate over many years, and high winds can dislodge loose material suddenly.

Storm damage and your buildings insurance

Storm damage to a roof is often covered under a standard buildings insurance policy, but there are important points to know before you call your insurer. Keep all receipts for any emergency work carried out.

Where possible, contact your insurer before authorising permanent repair work, as some policies require the insurer to agree to the repair method and contractor. Insurers commonly decline claims where they decide the main cause of damage was existing wear and tear rather than the storm itself - for example, tiles that were already loose before the wind arrived. Each policy has its own definition of what qualifies as a storm, and many use recorded wind speed or rainfall data to assess claims. A refused claim can go to the insurer's own complaints process and, if still unresolved, to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Areas we cover

We handle emergency calls from Mildenhall and the surrounding villages. If you are nearby and unsure whether we cover your area, call us and we will tell you.

What happens when you call

Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers, who ring back to arrange a visit. When our roofer rings back, they will ask what has happened and about access to the roof. When you call, it helps to have to hand: where the water is coming in, what the roof covering is if you know it, whether the damage followed a storm, and whether there is any scaffolding already on the property.