Roof Repairs in Littleport - What to Do While You Wait (and What to Leave Alone)

Expert Roof Repairs
in Littleport

Roof Repairs in Littleport

When a roof is damaged, the instinct is to do something immediately. That is understandable, especially if water is getting in. Some of those instincts are helpful. Others can make the situation worse, create a safety risk, or make it harder for a roofer to carry out a proper repair when they arrive. This page covers what is useful to do while you wait, what to avoid, and what to expect when a roofer gets to you. We carry out all types of roof repair for homeowners in Littleport and the surrounding area, from single slipped tiles to storm damage across a whole roof section.

The Repairs We Cover

Before getting into the practical advice, here is a quick overview of the work we carry out in and around Littleport. That includes slipped, broken and missing tiles on pitched roofs, slate roof repairs, flat felt and EPDM rubber roof repairs, lead flashing work at chimneys, abutments and dormers, ridge and hip repointing, garage roof repairs and chimney repairs. Storm damage affecting large sections of roof is also something we deal with, including temporary weatherproofing where a permanent repair cannot happen immediately.

What to Do While You Wait for a Roofer

If water is getting into the property, the priority is to limit damage inside the building while you wait for professional help. These steps are safe to carry out from inside the property or at ground level:

• Catch the water. Place bowls, buckets or containers under any active drips in the loft or ceiling. Check them regularly and empty before they overflow. A towel or absorbent material around the base of each container helps if there is any splash.
• Protect what is below. Move furniture, electrics and valuables away from the affected area. Water that comes through a ceiling can spread across the surface before it finds a point to drip, so the wet patch on the ceiling is often not directly above where the water is landing.
• Locate your stopcock. If water is getting near any electrical fittings - ceiling roses, light fittings or socket plates - turn off the electricity to that circuit at the consumer unit. Water and live electrics are a serious hazard. If in doubt, turn off the main supply and call an electrician before the roofer if needed.
• If a ceiling is bulging, act carefully. A ceiling that is visibly bowing downward has water pooled above it. Keep everyone out of the room and do not poke, prod or pierce it - it can come down without warning.
• Photograph everything. Take pictures of the damage inside, the water staining and any visible damage on the roof from ground level. This is useful for insurance purposes and for the roofer when they arrive.
• Secure anything on the roof that the wind has already moved. If a large section of material has blown off and is now a hazard in the garden, move it to a safe place at ground level. Do not attempt to get onto the roof to do this.

What Not to Do

This is where good intentions can go wrong. The following are common mistakes that either create a safety risk or cause additional damage:

• Do not go onto the roof yourself. This applies regardless of whether you are confident working at height. A domestic roof after a storm, in wet weather or even in dry conditions is a hazardous environment. Tiles and slates are slippery, roof surfaces can be uneven, and a fall from roof height causes serious or fatal injuries. Leave roof access to people with the right equipment and experience.
• Do not use a pressure washer to try to clear a blockage or clean the roof surface. A pressure washer strips mortar from ridge joints, damages the surface of tiles, and can force water under the laps of tiles and felt, causing more damage than the original problem.
• Do not apply roofing sealant or expanding foam to a leak point on a wet roof. These products do not bond properly to wet surfaces and can actually seal water in beneath the surface of a roof covering, accelerating rot in the structure underneath. They also make a proper repair harder to carry out and can mask the true extent of the problem.
• Do not attempt to rebed a ridge tile or re-hang a slate yourself. These tasks look straightforward but require access equipment, knowledge of the surrounding structure and, for mortar work, the right mix and conditions to cure properly. A badly rehung slate or poorly bedded ridge tile can come off again in the next wind and become a hazard to people below.
• Do not ignore a small problem and assume it will hold through the winter. A single cracked tile or a small section of open flashing will almost always get worse as water works its way further into the roof structure with each rain event.

What to Expect When a Roofer Arrives

A proper roof inspection should involve the roofer going up on the roof, not just looking from the gutters or the garden. They should check the affected area and the surrounding sections, because a primary defect often has secondary problems nearby that contributed to the failure or that will cause the next leak if left unaddressed.

Before any work starts, you should receive a clear explanation of what has been found and a written quote for the repair. If temporary weatherproofing is needed while parts are ordered or while conditions improve, that should be explained to you clearly so you know what is a temporary fix and what is a permanent repair.

For storm damage claims, a roofer should be prepared to provide a written report or photographic evidence of the damage for your insurer if you ask for it. That documentation is worth having whether or not you make a claim.

Types of Roof Damage We See After Bad Weather

Wind damage on pitched roofs typically shows up as lifted or missing ridge tiles, slipped or cracked plain tiles and displaced slates. The ridge is almost always the most vulnerable point on a pitched roof because ridge tiles sit on a mortar bed that weathers and shrinks over time. Weakened mortar plus a strong wind is a reliable recipe for displaced ridge tiles.

Flat roofs on extensions and garages are vulnerable to edge damage in high winds, where the covering lifts at the perimeter and then peels back. Lead flashing at chimney bases and abutments can also lift in wind if the mortar holding it in the chase has failed. Both of these are common causes of water ingress after a storm.

We Cover Littleport and the Surrounding Area

As well as Littleport, we carry out roof repairs across the wider surrounding area. No job is too small. If you have a damaged roof or suspect a leak, call us to book a survey. We will inspect the roof, explain what we find and give you a written quote before any work begins.