When lead work is done right and looked after properly, it can outlast almost everything else on your roof - here is what that means for homeowners in Soham.
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Lead work covers any situation on a roof where two surfaces meet and need a weathertight seal. The most common examples are flashings where a roof meets a chimney, wall abutments where a lean-to or extension roof runs against a house wall, lead valleys where two roof slopes meet, and lead-covered flat roof areas. Each of these requires hand-dressed lead cut and shaped on site to fit the exact profile of the surface it is sealing.
Lead is sold and specified by Code, which refers to its thickness. Code 3 (1.32 mm) is used for small soakers. Code 4 (1.80 mm) suits most step and cover flashings. Code 5 (2.24 mm) is used for valleys and larger horizontal surfaces. Code 6 and above is used where extra weight and durability are needed, such as parapet gutters or large flat roof areas. Using the wrong Code is one of the most common causes of early failure, so it matters that whoever carries out the work can tell you clearly which Code they are using and why.
All lead used on roofs in the UK should conform to BS EN 12588. The sheets are fixed using lead clips or tacks and dressed by hand using a bossing mallet or dresser, working the lead into shape without tearing it. Cutting corners here - using adhesive alone, overlapping rather than properly lapping, or failing to allow for thermal movement - leads to splits, lifts, and eventually leaks.
When a roof leaks near a chimney or where an extension meets the main house, failed lead work is almost always the cause. The fault is rarely the lead itself - lead is extremely durable. The problems come from how it was installed, or from years of small movements that were never addressed.
The main types of lead work we carry out for homeowners in Soham are chimney flashings, wall abutment flashings, lead valleys, and lead flat roofs. Each is different in how it is dressed and fixed.
Chimney flashings include front apron flashings (the piece that bridges the gap between the front face of the chimney and the roof slope), side step flashings (individual pieces that step up the slope alongside the chimney), back gutters (the horizontal piece behind the chimney that collects rainwater running down from above), and soakers (small pieces of lead tucked under each slate or tile alongside the chimney). A full chimney re-flash involves all of these. Replacing only one part without checking the others is rarely good value.
Wall abutments occur where a porch, garage, or single-storey extension meets the main house wall. The lead is cut and dressed so that it runs up the wall to a height of at least 150 mm above the roof surface. It is then tucked into a raked mortar joint and pointed up. Where the wall is rendered, the lead is turned behind the render rather than onto its face.
Lead valleys are formed in a V or W profile between two roof slopes. The lead is laid in sections with lapped joints, dressed into the valley board, and the tiles or slates are cut to fit. The gap left at the centre of the valley should be enough to allow water to flow freely without backing up under the tiles in heavy rain - typically 65 mm for a swept or laced valley, wider for a cut valley.
Lead flat roofs are less common than felt or EPDM rubber systems but are still found on older bay window tops, porch roofs, and dormer cheeks. They require careful detailing at drips (the edge where water falls off the roof), rolls (the joints between panels that run with the slope), and upstands (where the lead turns up against walls or parapets).
Lead work is not cheap, partly because lead itself is a relatively expensive material, and partly because dressing it properly takes genuine skill and time. Rushed or unskilled lead work will fail quickly and cost more to put right than it would have cost to do properly in the first place.
As a general guide, a full chimney re-flash on a standard detached house typically costs in the range of £400 to £800, depending on the size of the chimney, how many faces need flashing, whether soakers are needed, and the difficulty of access. Small single-face repairs are less, perhaps £150 to £300, but it is worth having the whole chimney checked at the same time.
Lead valley replacement on a typical semi-detached house might cost £300 to £600 for a single valley, including removing old lead or alternative materials, supplying and dressing new lead, and making good the tiles either side. Longer or more complex valleys cost more.
Lead flat roofs vary considerably by area. A small bay window top of 2 to 3 square metres might cost £500 to £900 all in. Larger areas cost proportionally more, and the cost per square metre falls slightly with scale. These are current UK market figures and will vary with access, the Code of lead specified, and the complexity of the edges and upstands.
Be wary of quotes that seem low. Lead is sold at a spot price that tracks the metals market, so very cheap quotes often mean thinner lead than specified, a smaller overlap than recommended, or no proper movement joints. Any quote should state the Code of lead being used.
This is the angle that most homeowners overlook, and it is where you can save the most money over the lifetime of your roof. Well-installed lead work can last 60 to 100 years. Poorly maintained lead work, or lead work that has been allowed to deteriorate unchecked, can fail in under 20 years. The difference is almost always preventable.
You do not need to get on the roof to spot early signs of lead work problems. From the ground with binoculars, or from an upstairs window, look for the following:
Catching any of these signs early means a simple repair rather than a full replacement. A flashing that has simply worked loose at the top often needs only the pointing raked out and redone, and the lead re-wedged. This is a small job. Left for another winter, the same flashing can allow enough water in to saturate roof timbers, which turns a £150 repair into a much more serious problem.
Freshly dressed lead has a bright appearance that weathers to a dull grey over the first year. This is normal. The patina that forms on the surface is actually what makes lead so durable - it is a layer of lead carbonate and lead sulphate that protects the metal underneath from further corrosion.
Do not apply sealants, paints, or coatings over new lead. They can prevent the patina from forming properly and trap moisture at the surface. The only thing newly installed lead needs is to be left alone.
Check that water is draining away from the new work as it should. After the first heavy rain, go outside and look at where the water is running. It should be flowing off the edge of the lead onto tiles or into a gutter, not ponding on a flat section or running back towards a wall. If something looks wrong, flag it before the first winter.
Moss, lichen, and debris accumulating on or near lead work accelerate deterioration. Organic matter holds moisture, and sustained damp is the enemy of the mortar pointing that holds flashings in place. If moss is growing on your roof slopes near a chimney or valley, treat the roof as a whole rather than just clearing debris from around the lead.
Leaf and debris build-up in valleys is a common problem. A blocked valley cannot drain freely, and in heavy rain the water can back up far enough to get underneath the tiles at the edges. Clearing your valleys in autumn - carefully, and ideally from inside a roof window or with a roof ladder rather than standing directly on the lead - is one of the most effective maintenance steps you can take.
Gutters matter too. Gutters that overflow onto a roof slope, or gutters that have pulled away and are directing water against a wall, put extra stress on any lead work at the base of that wall. Keeping gutters clear is part of protecting your lead.
The mortar pointing along the top edge of a lead flashing is not just cosmetic. It seals the gap between the lead and the masonry above it, and it is usually the first part of a lead installation to need attention. Mortar is not as long-lived as the lead itself, and in an exposed position it can deteriorate faster than mortar on the rest of the building.
Inspect the pointing on your chimney flashings every few years. If it is cracking or shrinking away from the lead, it needs raking out and replacing with fresh flashing mortar. Do not use ordinary sand and cement, and do not use silicone alone - the right mix for flashing joints is a slightly weaker mortar that bonds well but allows a small amount of movement. Using a mix that is too rigid will cause the mortar to crack and pull away again within a year or two.
Some installers use lead wedges hammered into the raked joint to hold the flashing, with mortar over the top. Others use purpose-made plastic or metal clips. Both methods work when done properly. What does not work is a flashing that is held only by mortar with no mechanical fixing - over time the mortar will shrink slightly and the flashing will work loose.
There is a difference between watching something that is not yet causing a problem, and waiting too long to act. These are the situations where you should not wait until the next planned visit or until it is convenient:
Acting on these promptly usually means a straightforward repair. Leaving them means the repair scope grows, and internal damage compounds.
Not all roofers carry out lead work to the same standard. Before you agree to any lead work, ask these questions and expect clear answers:
A roofer who knows their trade will have no trouble answering all of these. The answers tell you whether you are dealing with someone who has actually dressed lead by hand or someone who fits a cover flashing with a tube of sealant and calls it a day.
We carry out lead work in Soham and the surrounding area, working alongside Mildenhall and nearby towns and villages. Lead work should be dressed by hand on site to the correct Code for the application. Self-adhesive lead tape is no substitute for dressed lead on a permanent installation.
If you have a leak near a chimney, a wall junction, or a valley, or if you want a lead installation inspected before problems develop, call us to arrange a roof survey. We will tell you honestly what we find and what, if anything, needs doing.
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