Leadwork and chimney flashings
Chimney flashings, soakers, valleys, bay roofs and dormer cheeks. Worked and fixed properly, because most roof leaks start at the lead.
Why lead matters on Portishead roofs
Lead seals the junctions a roof covering cannot: where it meets a chimney, a wall, a dormer or another slope. Portishead has plenty of those. The character statement picks out tall chimney stacks in Woodhill, ornate chimney pots on Slade Road and Victorian pots along the High Street, and many of the town’s older buildings have bays, dormers and gables.
Lead lasts a long time when it is the right thickness, fixed in suitable lengths and allowed to move. Most of the failures we see are not worn-out lead but poor installation: pieces too long, wedged with mortar instead of lead wedges, or covered in sealant.
Leadwork we carry out
Chimney flashings
Step and cover flashings, back gutters and aprons renewed and chased into the brickwork joints.
Lead valleys
Valley linings replaced where they have split or been patched, with the tiles cut back to leave a clear channel.
Soakers and abutments
Soakers interleaved with slates or tiles where a roof meets a wall, with a cover flashing over.
Bay and porch roofs
Dressed lead roofs on bays and porches, common on the Victorian and Edwardian houses.
Dormers
Dormer cheeks, aprons and flat dormer tops weathered properly.
Flaunching and pointing
The mortar cap on top of a stack and the pointing around it, often found cracked when we go up to look at the lead.
What to watch for
Sealant is not a repair
A tube of mastic over a split flashing buys a few months. It also hides what is going on underneath.
Damp chimney breasts
A damp patch on the chimney breast inside can be the flashing, the flaunching, or rain soaking through the brick. We work out which before quoting.
Lead theft
Lead on low roofs and porches is sometimes targeted. Where that is a worry, we can discuss alternatives.
Working to the guidance
We follow the Lead Sheet Association’s published guidance on thickness, lengths and fixing.
Leadwork questions
Can you repair just one flashing?
Yes. If the rest of the lead is in good order, a single flashing can be renewed on its own.
Do you need scaffold for chimneys?
Often, especially on taller houses and stacks on the downhill side of a slope. Sometimes a chimney scaffold or tower is enough.
Is leadwork guaranteed?
Yes, under our 20 year written guarantee.
Sources: Portishead Community Character Statement (areas G, N and P); Locally Valued Heritage Assets in Portishead; Lead Sheet Association.
Leak around the chimney?
We will find where the water is getting in and quote to fix it properly.