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Roofing

New flat roof leaking after 2 years

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.36 PM

We had a loft conversion done 2 years ago and only recently have noticed a small drip of water coming in from next to the skylight. I suspect that the felt which was torched was not done properly near the skylight and over time this has allowed a small gap for water to escape. The builder that did the loft had his roofer do the roof but clearly this was a poor job as there was small puddles visible after rain. The area where the leak is there is also a puddle of water. The builder came 2 days ago and attempted to re-torch the felt and apply a small patch of felt over the suspected area. This has not worked as there is still water dripping when raining. The builder has agreed to come back again. I have asked that he brings his roofer along instead of him attempting this as clearly this is a job for an experienced roofer. I am covered by a 10 year guarantee however I am concerned that he is only going to do a temporary fix as this is the cheapest for him. What would you suggest I say or do in this situation? What is the best way in dealing with this?

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4 Answers

build maintenance renovation

Rating: 5 out of 5

Lowestoft

Hi I would get the roofer to strip off all the flashings around the window and get him to redo the flashing.

Answered17 January 2021

Anonymous user

Definitely strip off felt around roof light,if you have a had a warm roof system installed and insulation is on top of deck,over vapour barrier get him to check for trapped water in the system as it will more than likely be underneath insulation aswell. There should be ideally a angled fillet to all upstands to divert water away from week points, especially roof lights and if felted correctly with each layer envelope over the next they shouldn’t leak so if you don’t have angled fillets I would ask for them to be installed. Also the ponding behind roof light doesn’t usually affect to warranty’s most manufactures will sell there products with warranty’s knowing that most flat roofs do hold some water on them.there’s a way I usually do it with a mitre board behind the rooflight then felt that in that way it will divert water out to the sides stopping ponding areas off water. Hope this helps you

Answered29 January 2021

DLT Roofing

Rating: 5 out of 5

Hoddesdon

If the flat roof is 2yrs old & has ponding water I would think the roof doesn’t have a sufficient fall. Therefore it’s the builders fault for not fitting furrings will a sufficient fall. You need the builder to rectify this then you need a competent roofer to felt the roof properly.

Answered6 February 2021

Anonymous user

Flat roofs can hold water depends how deep these puddles are also or all of the lapse bled to a 2mm A lot of that flat roof so I see these days lack bleed also the leak could be somewhere else and tracking its way to the only escape which is obviously the escape hatch or skylight mentioned it’s a very hard question to Answer without seeing pictures

Answered13 February 2021