Roof work by McCluskey Roofing
Signs your flat roof needs attention
Some signs are obvious: a drip in the room below, a damp patch on the ceiling or a stain spreading from the corner where the roof meets the wall. Others are only visible from above or from an upstairs window. Water sitting in the same spot for days after rain, blisters or bubbles in felt, cracks across the surface and loose or lifting edges are all worth having checked.
Inside, a ceiling that feels soft, a musty smell or mould near the top of the wall can mean water has been getting in for a while. On garages, look at the underside of the boards if you can. Dark, swollen or crumbling timber tells its own story.
Repairing felt and EPDM roofs
Felt roofs are built up in layers, and local damage such as a split, a blister or a worn patch can sometimes be cut out and repaired with compatible material. The success of that depends on the condition of the surrounding felt. If it is brittle and cracking all over, a patch will just move the problem along.
EPDM rubber roofs are repaired differently. Small punctures or a lifted seam can be cleaned, primed and repaired with compatible EPDM tape or patches. Because rubber and felt are different materials, we do not mix them without good reason, and we explain the options rather than applying whatever is to hand.
Upstands, outlets and edge trims
A lot of flat roof leaks are not in the middle of the roof at all. They start at the upstand where the covering turns up a wall, at the outlet where water drains into the gutter, or along the edge trim at the front and sides.
Upstands that have pulled away, flashings that have slipped, outlets blocked with leaves and trims that have lifted in the wind all let water in. Often the repair is about re-forming that detail properly, adding a new flashing or clearing and resealing an outlet, rather than touching the main covering.
When patching stops being worth it
Repairs make sense when the problem is local and the deck is solid. They stop making sense when you are patching the same roof every year, when blisters and cracks are spread across the surface, or when the boards underneath have become soft and spongy.
At that point, we will usually suggest stripping the old covering, replacing any rotten decking and laying a new EPDM roof. It costs more on the day than a patch, but it deals with the cause. Our flat roof replacement cost guide explains what affects the price of that work.
Extensions, dormers and garages
Kitchen and rear extensions usually sit over heated rooms, so a leak there is felt quickly and the insulation in the roof matters. Dormer roofs are small but awkward, with junctions against slates or tiles on several sides. Garages are often the oldest and least looked-after roofs on a property.
Each needs a slightly different approach. If your garage roof is beyond saving, our garage roofs page explains how we replace them.
The process
We start with a free quote. We look at the roof surface, the edges and outlets, the junction with the house and, where possible, the deck from underneath. We then explain what we have found and whether a repair or a replacement is the sensible choice.
Most repairs need a dry spell to bond properly, so we plan the work around the weather. When the job is finished, we clear up and let you know what to keep an eye on, such as keeping outlets clear of leaves.
Keeping a flat roof in good order
A little care goes a long way with a flat roof. Clear leaves and moss from the surface and outlets in autumn, especially if trees overhang the roof. Check after high winds that edge trims and flashings are still in place. Avoid walking on the roof or standing ladders on it, as this can damage the covering or the deck beneath.
If you notice a small split or a lifting edge, it is worth having it looked at sooner rather than later. A small, early repair is usually far simpler than dealing with a soaked deck and damaged ceiling a few months later. When you get in touch, a photo from an upstairs window can help us understand the roof before we visit.
Areas we cover
We repair flat roofs from our base in Wallsend across Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Whitley Bay, Gosforth and the wider North East, including Durham and Morpeth. If a leak is coming through but you are not sure whether it is the flat roof, our roof leaks page may help.