Do you really answer emergency calls at night and at weekends?

Yes. We offer 24/7 emergency call-outs. Call 01904 922494 at any hour, tell us what is happening and we will tell you honestly what we can do and when. Outside our normal hours (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm) the phone is the only way to reach us quickly – please don't rely on email or the website form for an emergency.

My roof is leaking in York – what should I do before you arrive?

Contain the water with buckets and towels, move furniture and valuables, and if water is near a light fitting or socket, switch that circuit off at the consumer unit. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out of the room. Don't climb onto the roof or up a ladder in wind and rain. Take a few photos for your records and your insurer.

Is an emergency repair a permanent fix?

Sometimes. If a few slates or tiles have blown off and we can replace them safely, that may be the permanent repair. In heavy rain or high wind the priority is to make the roof safe and watertight – for example with a secured temporary sheet – and then return in dry weather to repair it properly. We'll explain which is which, and nothing permanent is done without a price agreed first.

Can you help with an insurance claim after storm damage?

We can provide photographs and a written description of the damage and the work needed, which most insurers ask for. Whether a claim is accepted, and how much is paid, is a matter between you and your insurer, so it's worth calling them early and keeping receipts for any emergency work.

Emergency Roofer York | 24/7 Leaking Roof Repairs

Q: Which areas do you cover for emergency call-outs?

York and the surrounding villages and towns – including Haxby, Acomb, Huntington, Fulford, Bishopthorpe, Strensall, Copmanthorpe, Poppleton, Selby and Tadcaster. If you're further out, call anyway and we'll tell you straight away whether we can help.

Leaking roof in York? Call now

If water is coming through a ceiling, slates or tiles have come down, or a chimney or ridge has been damaged in a storm, call us on 01904 922494. York Heritage Roofing offers 24/7 emergency call-outs across York and the surrounding area. We'll talk you through what to do right now, tell you honestly when we can get to you, and make the roof safe and watertight as quickly as it can be done safely.

For an emergency, please phone rather than email or use the form – the phone reaches us at any hour.

What counts as a roofing emergency?

Water coming in – a drip, a spreading stain or water running down a wall, especially near light fittings.
Storm damage – slates, tiles or ridge tiles blown off, lifted flashings or a flat roof membrane torn by wind.
Something loose overhead – a slate hanging over a path, a dislodged chimney pot or a gutter pulled away from the fascia.
Fallen debris – a branch or aerial through the roof covering.
A failed flat roof – water ponding and then pouring in after a split or blister opens up.

Not every problem needs a night-time visit. A single slipped slate on a dry day can usually wait for a booked repair – we'll tell you so, rather than charge you for an emergency call-out you don't need.

What to do while you wait

Contain the waterBuckets, towels and bowls under the drip; move furniture, rugs and electronics out of the way.
Think about electricsIf water is near a light fitting or socket, switch that circuit off at the consumer unit and don't touch wet fittings.
Keep clear of sagging ceilingsA ceiling holding water can come down suddenly. Keep people and pets out of the room.
Stay off the roofWet slates, wind and darkness make roofs dangerous. Leave it to us.
Take photosPictures of the damage inside and out help with any insurance claim – and help us bring the right materials.

How we deal with an emergency call-out

First we find where the water is actually getting in. On York's older houses that is very often not directly above the stain: rain runs along battens, rafters or the back of a chimney breast before it shows. The usual culprits are slipped or missing slates and tiles, failed lead flashings, worn valleys, cracked chimney mortar and blocked or broken gutters overflowing back under the eaves.

Then we make it safe. Where it can be done properly on the spot, we replace the missing slates or tiles, re-dress the lead or clear the blockage. Where the weather or the extent of the damage makes that impossible, we fit a secured temporary covering and come back to carry out the permanent repair in dry weather. Either way you get a clear explanation of what we found and a written price before any permanent work goes ahead.

Storm damage repairs

High winds across the Vale of York regularly lift slates and tiles along exposed verges, eaves and ridges, and strip loose mortar from ridges and chimneys. After a storm we prioritise making roofs watertight, then return for permanent repairs – re-fixing slates with copper or stainless clips, re-bedding or mechanically fixing ridges, and replacing lead that has been lifted. If the damage reveals a roof that is generally past its best, we'll say so honestly and explain your options, including roof replacement, but you'll never be pushed into it.

Weathered slate roofs, chimney stacks and clay pots across York terraces with York Minster in the distance — York – slate roofs and chimneys with York Minster in the distance. Photo: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0 · credits

Emergency roofer across York and nearby towns

We're based in York and cover the city and the surrounding area for emergency call-outs, including Haxby, Acomb, Huntington, Fulford, Bishopthorpe, Strensall, Copmanthorpe, Poppleton, Selby, Tadcaster, Heworth, Clifton, Dringhouses, Wigginton, Malton and Pocklington. Most of these are a short drive from the city; for the market towns further out, such as Selby and Tadcaster, call and we'll tell you honestly how soon we can be with you. See all the areas we cover.

After the emergency

Once the roof is watertight we'll recommend what, if anything, needs doing next – from a straightforward roof repair to renewing a flat roof. For a sense of typical prices, see our guide to roof costs in York. Our normal hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 1pm; emergency call-outs are available 24/7 on 01904 922494.

Emergency roof repairs in York