Chimney Back Gutter problem

[MrDuck]

I've been thinking a bit about your ideas. Bringing the felt up over the back gutter is clearly a good solution but means cutting the felt both at the back gutter edge and vertically.

I'm wondering whether I couldn't get away with using Flashband or similar to bond a flap of felt to the existing felt, so avoiding cutting. Obviously I would need to cut away the bits of counterbatten that are in the way but that applies to any solution and is not too difficult. I'm then thinking of bringing the felt flap up and over the short tiles which gets round the problem of nail holes and that bit of batten which is currently stopping water flow.

I appreciate this may not last for ever but might be good enough until the roof is retiled (which I suspect is not too many years away). In any case, if it fixed my leak I would be prepared to invest in getting the section of roof refelted and battened to provide a permanent solution.

Comments anyone? (Not too rude, please!)

 

[catlad]

The piece of wood you have at the back of you chimney needs to taper to the rafters, a thin piece of ply will do it , and then you can cut the felt and slide a piece of lead up under the felt and over the lead at the chimney. you will have to loose a row of tiles or two but that should give you a permanent fix.

 

[MrDuck]

My grateful thanks to all those who have helped me, especially catlad.

In the event, after removing several rows of tile behind the back gutter I felt that the old tiles were in such poor condition and poorly fitting that they should be replaced. This I have done, using 'nearly new' tiles, achieving a much closer fit around the back gutter. I have also used mortar mix to close off gaps under the tiles to the left and right of the back gutter, where I felt that strong winds could drive rain in to areas under the tiles.

I haven't lifted the felt and brought it up over over the gutter yet recommended as access is so poor with the facilities I have, it's quite difficult to do in practice, and I thought the other defects were more important.

I have also had a further look at the damp patch on the chimney breast in my utility room. I now think that this only started after I replaced a 'chinaman' cowl by a more modern metal one with anti-bird mesh, but with much less rain exclusion. This did improve the draught for the fire but basically rain has been driving straight down the chimney and getting caught on a 'dog-leg' at the base of the flue where it turns to go into an adjacent room. I have now replaced the cowl by a low profile type which claims better rain exclusion.

I know there not been a lot of rain lately but I am optimistic that I have my damp problems on the run, as both the damp patch in the bedroom and the one in the kitchen have dried out. Fingers crossed!