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Hello,
I was hoping to get some advice about a leak in my conservatory. We moved into our house about six months ago and the conservatory started leaking shortly afterwards.
I've had a conservatory specialist come to fix the leak and after replacing some parts and removing some previous owner bodge-job silicone sealant, it is in better shape (but one outstanding leak from a mounting bar still to be sorted).
In addition, recently we had new leaks from the back of the conservatory where it meets the main house. I suspect this is mostly caused by the crummy lead flashing, which is again covered in various sealants, and looks like it has been fiddled with a lot over the years.
I've attached some photos to my profile.
//www.diynot.com/network/leakyconservatory/albums/19103
1. Picture taken from the end of the conservatory.
The lead is in two pieces, the white horizontal line going along most of the lead apart from the right end, is silicone, following the join between the two pieces of lead.
(Originally there was some other kind of sealant in here that has worn away over time, so the silicone was added recently as a temporary measure to seal up the gap.)
The lead with the white silicone line is along our living room wall, the wall to the left of the photo is the kitchen wall.
2. Photo showing left corner where it meets the kitchen wall and where worst leak is.
The lead doesn't extend around the corner, instead there is some sort of sealant (rubbery or bitumen stuff?) against the wall.
3. Photo showing the right hand side. Where the two pieces of lead meet hasn't been filled with silicone and there is a leak below this area in the conservatory from an air vent when it's raining and the wind is blowing hard. I guess it is getting through the lead at the failed join?
4. Picture of left corner from above, you can see the black sealant that has failed, under the temporary trail of silicone.
5. Photo of the edge along the kitchen wall. We get no leaks from this side and you can see the lead has been recessed into the wall along that edge. This is in contrast to the (leaking) lead against the living room wall. It doesn't appear to have been chased into the wall but rather stuck on and then sealed around the top with some black sealant.
I'm still employing the original chap who replaced parts of the conservatory to cure the remaining leak from the mounting bar. I've asked him to assist a roofer with his conservatory ladders, to repair the flashing.
Roofer hasn't seen it yet but after having the problem described has recommended replacing the lead flashing completely. Charge will be £250, will take half a day's work.
I wanted to get some advice from more experienced people:
I figure it would be simpler and cheaper to just reseal the two existing lead pieces, and add new lead flashing to go "around the corner" where we have the leak, with lead. But is that a good idea? Can you ever seal two lead pieces properly?
So instead, should it all be ripped off, chased into the wall properly, and continued around the corner?
Can any problems arise from chasing it into the wall? Why would it not have been done like that originally?
Is this a reasonable price, and is there anything else I should ask the roofer to look at?
Thank you
(Edit to add: the leaking lead flashing along the living room wall is about 2m in length).
I was hoping to get some advice about a leak in my conservatory. We moved into our house about six months ago and the conservatory started leaking shortly afterwards.
I've had a conservatory specialist come to fix the leak and after replacing some parts and removing some previous owner bodge-job silicone sealant, it is in better shape (but one outstanding leak from a mounting bar still to be sorted).
In addition, recently we had new leaks from the back of the conservatory where it meets the main house. I suspect this is mostly caused by the crummy lead flashing, which is again covered in various sealants, and looks like it has been fiddled with a lot over the years.
I've attached some photos to my profile.
//www.diynot.com/network/leakyconservatory/albums/19103
1. Picture taken from the end of the conservatory.
The lead is in two pieces, the white horizontal line going along most of the lead apart from the right end, is silicone, following the join between the two pieces of lead.
(Originally there was some other kind of sealant in here that has worn away over time, so the silicone was added recently as a temporary measure to seal up the gap.)
The lead with the white silicone line is along our living room wall, the wall to the left of the photo is the kitchen wall.
2. Photo showing left corner where it meets the kitchen wall and where worst leak is.
The lead doesn't extend around the corner, instead there is some sort of sealant (rubbery or bitumen stuff?) against the wall.
3. Photo showing the right hand side. Where the two pieces of lead meet hasn't been filled with silicone and there is a leak below this area in the conservatory from an air vent when it's raining and the wind is blowing hard. I guess it is getting through the lead at the failed join?
4. Picture of left corner from above, you can see the black sealant that has failed, under the temporary trail of silicone.
5. Photo of the edge along the kitchen wall. We get no leaks from this side and you can see the lead has been recessed into the wall along that edge. This is in contrast to the (leaking) lead against the living room wall. It doesn't appear to have been chased into the wall but rather stuck on and then sealed around the top with some black sealant.
I'm still employing the original chap who replaced parts of the conservatory to cure the remaining leak from the mounting bar. I've asked him to assist a roofer with his conservatory ladders, to repair the flashing.
Roofer hasn't seen it yet but after having the problem described has recommended replacing the lead flashing completely. Charge will be £250, will take half a day's work.
I wanted to get some advice from more experienced people:
I figure it would be simpler and cheaper to just reseal the two existing lead pieces, and add new lead flashing to go "around the corner" where we have the leak, with lead. But is that a good idea? Can you ever seal two lead pieces properly?
So instead, should it all be ripped off, chased into the wall properly, and continued around the corner?
Can any problems arise from chasing it into the wall? Why would it not have been done like that originally?
Is this a reasonable price, and is there anything else I should ask the roofer to look at?
Thank you
(Edit to add: the leaking lead flashing along the living room wall is about 2m in length).