How long does lead flashing last?

Properly specified and fitted lead can last many decades. It fails early when the pieces are too long, too thin for the job, poorly fixed, or bedded in cement instead of being wedged and pointed into the joints. Lead that has been patched with mastic or bitumen paint is a sign that something underneath needs looking at.

Can lead valleys be replaced without re-roofing?

Usually, yes. We strip back the slates or tiles either side of the valley, renew the boards and lead, and re-lay the covering. If the slates or tiles are failing generally, it may be more economical to replace the valley as part of wider roof work – we'll tell you which applies.

Is there an alternative to lead?

There are lead-free flashing products and GRP valleys, and they have their place on some modern roofs. On older and listed buildings, traditional lead is usually the right material, and changing it on a listed building may need consent.

What is a lead bay roof?

Many Victorian and Edwardian houses in York have small lead-covered roofs over their bay windows. These are often the first part of the house to leak, as the lead splits along the rolls or around the edges. They can usually be re-covered in new lead without disturbing the rest of the roof.

Leadwork York | Lead Flashings, Valleys & Bays

Leadwork for York roofs

Lead is what keeps water out at the joints of a roof – where slopes meet in a valley, where the roof meets a chimney or wall, around dormers and over bay windows. On York's older houses, failed leadwork is one of the most common causes of leaks we see. York Heritage Roofing renews and repairs leadwork using traditional techniques: lead cut, shaped and dressed to fit, fixed so it can move with the seasons, and chased into the brickwork rather than smeared over with sealant.

Leadwork we carry out

Chimney flashings – stepped flashings, aprons and back gutters. See also chimney repairs.
Abutment flashings and soakers – where a roof slope meets a wall, a dormer cheek or a neighbouring house.
Valleys – open lead valleys between roof slopes, a frequent cause of damp in the corners of rooms.
Bay and porch roofs – re-covering small lead roofs on bay windows and canopies.
Dormers – lead cheeks, tops and aprons.
Lead repairs – re-dressing lifted lead, renewing split sections and re-pointing chased joints.

Signs your leadwork has failed

Damp on a chimney breast, or in a room corner below a valley.
Lead that has lifted, cracked or come loose from the wall after wind.
Old cement fillets cracking away where a roof meets a wall.
Lead painted with bitumen or covered in mastic – often a sign of past leaks.
Missing lead – sadly, theft from lower roofs and bays does happen.

Illustration of a new natural slate roof and brick chimney close up, with York Minster on the skyline behind — IllustrationNew natural slate roof and chimney, York Minster beyond.

Doing leadwork properly

Most early lead failures come from shortcuts: pieces that are too long so they split as they expand and contract, lead too thin for the job, or flashings fixed with nails and sealant rather than wedged and pointed into a raked-out joint. We size and fix lead so it can move, use an appropriate code (thickness) for each detail, and finish chased joints with a suitable mortar. On older and listed buildings we match traditional details.

Leadwork as part of wider roof work

New lead is usually fitted when a roof is re-covered, and it often makes sense to renew tired flashings while scaffolding is up for roof replacement, slate roofing or stone roofing. For a leak happening now, see emergency roof repairs. We cover York and nearby areas including Fulford, Bishopthorpe, Acomb and Tadcaster.

Leadwork in York