Need To replace roofing felt

[ruddyr1]

Hi folks some advice please. Just noticed rain has been leaking behind gutter and has rotted a thin piece of wood that the gutter has been screwed to as the felt has deteriorated.

When Ive pulled the thin strip of wood away Ive noticed it was covering a thicker piece and may only have been their for appearance. As a result it appears to show that the gutters where never sitting flat in the first place hence the water has been leaking behind them.

I will have to replace the thicker piece but need to know if it is an important part of the weight bearing structure for the tyles or if its just their to close the opening and to fasten the gutters too. I dont want to start ripping things apart to find that I can replace them.

Im hoping to simply lift the first row of tyles, slide those felt protector guard thingymajigs under and replace the wood that has rotted.

Is this feasible. What type of wood should I get, treat etc, or should I take the tyles of and replace the felt as well.

They are red wavy tyles so a pressume they will be nailed in place, any way around lifting the whole bloody lot off to sort it?

Much appreciated.

Just as well we a have the beautiful british weather to work on a roof!

 

[Blagard]

I have little doubt you will be able to carry out repairs to your fascia board (the timber the gutter is fixed to.) and it would be unlikely that you need to do much more than you have already found out.

Edit: irrelevant pictures and text removed!

A photograph of your tiles at the gutter would be very helpful, because I would not expect rainwater to leak behind the gutter unless it was badly positioned.

 

[ruddyr1]

Hi Ive attached some photos if it helps to assist with advice. cheers

d

• ruddyr1
• 31 Aug 2011
• 1

Roof layout

Untitled

• ruddyr1
• 31 Aug 2011
• 1

b

• ruddyr1
• 31 Aug 2011
• 1

Water has leaked behind gutter and rotted thin wooden strip which bracket was screwed to.

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• ruddyr1
• 31 Aug 2011
• 1

Gutter support bracket fastens to thin wooden strip but the sinks back toward facia which allows...

c

• ruddyr1
• 31 Aug 2011
• 1

Behind the thin wooden strip is a thick pisece of wood that has also rotted

 

[SurreyRoofingEstimator]

Not the easiest to make out but am I right that the tiles do not oversail the gutter?

If that is the case, in the long term it is a bigger job than just fitting underlay support trays though that will help

 

[Blagard]

That is an unusual and unfortunately badly executed eaves detail.

Usually you have a fascia board on the end of those rafters and some noggins for a soffit board. In your case, No facia or soffit board.

I can see a board has been placed on the top side of your rafters to create a soffit to the sloping underside of the roof tiles. It looks like a tilting fillet has then simply been painted. There is not enough depth to fit the gutter brackets except where the rafter end gives the necessary extra depth. The lower course of tiles has been very badly fitted with hardly any oversail into the gutter.

The Rotting timber is probably triangular in section. Sketch below of what I would expect to find (Felt not shown)

Untitled

• Blagard
• 31 Aug 2011
• 1

To repair the rotting timber you will need to remove the bottom tile course. But while you have it off, you can easily fit a gutter guard slipped under the existing felt. Not ideal, but it should get the water into the gutter! Since your "Guard" is actually going to be carrying water on a regular basis, you may want to do a long term job by using code 3 or 4 lead instead of the plastic guard. If you use lead, put a welt on the edge hidden under the tiles (i.e. fold the edge of the lead back on top of itself by about 20mm)

It does look like some-one placed a section of thin timber board behind part of the gutter. Probably to cover rotten timber. I would expect that bit can be completely removed - It hinders the gutter detail, certainly not helping!

Edit: Cutting the rafters back around 25mm would help solve the oversail problem but may not look right. Maybe the bottom three or four tile courses could be stretched out a bit (say 6mm each) to help. It depends on the current laps, neighbours if a semi and will disturb any verge detail too. That would mean the tile battens have to be lifted and refixed.

 

[noseall]

I have never understood it when architects insist upon such silly design details, i.e. extending rafter ends, wall plates and purlins beyond their weathering boundaries (soffits, fascias, gales walls etc) as these are the parts of the timber that are most vulnerable to wicking water.

I suppose in t' old days it would have been simple to pay a cloth capped little man in brown bib 'n' brace overalls tuppence to see to the soffits.

 

[Blagard]

ruddyr1,

The link below may help. As for fixings, the Eaves course will almost certainly be nailed. As for other courses you need to find out They may or may not be fixed. It's worth trying a couple to find out before you start in earnest. Try the second row tile because if not fixed, it will expose the fixing for the eaves tile

http://www.practicalpressure.com/How_to_Repair_a_Tile_Roof.htm

Timber that will be painted should be a planned finish (not sawn). Coat with a preservative all round before fixing.

The felt should be OK under the tiles so I would expect you to be able to just fit the "guard" or lead under existing felt.

You need to refit the gutter anyway so get some new screws for the job.

Make sure that triangular timber (if it turns out to be that) is with the top either level or with a fall to the gutter. On no account should it have a backfall.

The birdscreen (under the arch of the tile) looks a bit of a mess. be prepared to replace some !

 

[ruddyr1]

As you can see from photos When I started I kind of got carried away! All tyles off as had to replace the traingular wood and the board it sits on right along the roof. Placed ned felt under the old one and those plastic protectors things on top of traingular wood and under new felt. Replaced bird stopper and reppaced all tyles, in a day !

Finished the rest of job following day as in sorted lead flashing out, pinned all tyles to strutts and added concrete mix to ends.

Just got to re paint the lot and refix guttering. Now this should last a bit longer!

Bloody hard graft on your own up and down a ladder. Im knackered!

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• ruddyr1
• 2 Sep 2011
• 1

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• ruddyr1
• 2 Sep 2011
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• ruddyr1
• 2 Sep 2011
• 1

 

[Blagard]

Looks like you really have attacked the problem with loads of enthusiasm and effort. - I'm sure you will have that satisfaction of a job well done.

Because it is all low level, I'll bet it all looks smarter to.

Excellent effort.