Hole in roof tile and felt

[DI-Why Aye]

Hi,

I'm hoping for a cheap solution to the hole I have in my roof and felt please.

It's a semi-detached house built in c.1965 with I believe the original roof and tiles etc. Other than this one hole there doesn't seem to be any other issues so I'm reluctant to re-roof until it's necessary (albeit it's lasted a good half century)!

Upon removal of the old insulation (as we're wanting the loft electrics to be renewed and generally tidied up, together with new insulation and boards) - we noticed that the insulation in one location was 'crusty'. Clearly rain water is getting in at this point and the felt around it is rotten (approx. an avg. fist sized hole in the felt).

Now I know it wouldn't cost all too much to have a roofer replace a broken tile and repair the surrounding felt, however the damage in the roof is in line with the conservatory below. There is little to no clearance down the side of the conservatory for ladders and I'm worried that most roofers would insist on scaffolding (thus ramping up the cost).

Is there anything that could be done from within the loft to repair this I.e. Roof and Guttering sealant or some form of expandable foam to bring together the gap in the roof tile and make it water tight? I have some flashbanding which could be applied to the inside of the felt.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Many thanks



 

[datarebal]

There is no fix from Inside.
The reason behind scaffold is to ensure the job is done correctly and safely. It will also help prevent damage to the conservatory.
It isn't to bump up costs.
You as the employer should not encourage any guy up on the roof without the correct safety precautions. Scaffold it

 

[DI-Why Aye]

The installation of scaffolding will naturally increase cost for me the employer/customer. I totally agree and I don't and won't encourage anyone onto the roof without the correct safety measures in place.

I was hoping that there would be a method to fix this from within I.e. Cement or expandable foam etc. If money was no object I wouldn't think twice about scaffolding or a potential re-roof.

I will research into scaffolding costs, but you wouldn't know off the top of your head what I'd expect to pay would you? It's a two storey semi-detached house, the broken tile is approx 3 or 4 rows in from the edge. The conservatory is approx. 3.5M wide by 3M high if that helps at all.

Thanks for your help.

 

[datarebal]

you might get it with a cherry picker.. have you a picture?

 

[alan333]

The rolls of felt are usually laid across the way, and the rolls are usually 1 metre wide. If you're lucky enough to see lap edges above and below your leaky hole then it's possible (but awkward) to piece a new section of felt in from inside, on the whole width of a section between rafters. Make sure you lap it the correct way, ie your top lap should be below the existing felt and your bottom lap above the lower felt. You'll need to figure out a way to hold the felt in place, and it's not a finished job since you still need a new tile (or tiles) fitted anyway - but it should keep the water out.

 

[datarebal]

the main issue with the above other than a tile still being missing is the water will run into the soffit and possibly the cavity if there is one and not into the gutter