Roof Leak Fascia Board Removal?

[JonnyRotten]

Hi Folks,

I am totally new to roof repair but I'd like to give it a go. I own a top floor flat that is a loft conversion so it has a pitched roof and a felt flat roof. See the attached photo.

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• JonnyRotten
• 15 Nov 2011
• 1

The red square represents my flat and the oval is where the problem is.

There is water coming through the roof somewhere right where the wall meets the ceiling just above the window. The fascia boards weren't in the best condition but have since been replaced. Nothing else was done when the boards were replaced. I replaced the silicone sealant at the top of the window (inside) as it looked like water was coming through here. This seemed to stop the problem for a while. Then after a few weeks I noticed water damage on the ceiling right where the wall meets it.

I am happy enough to go out onto the roof (with harness and climbing equipment) but am worried that I won't see the problem very easily. Will I have to remove the fascia boards to put some Acrypol or Thomsons Roof seal under them? is it possible that the water is getting in further up the roof but running all the way to the end of it before it is becoming apparent? I will try to post some photos up of the roof.

Could the problem be where the felt terminates which is presumably under the fascia boards?

Thanks for your help,

Jonny

 

[catlad]

I think you are going to need some photo's

 

[Alastairreid]

A decent pic! preferably not taken from the moon

 

[mathewleo]

The pictures needs to be taken from bit more closer. Only then we will be able to tell you. We don't know how wide it is.

 

[tim00]

I would suggest that you stay off the roof.To use a harness you would need to anchor up the roof, typically at a c/stack -you cannot belay up a roof. Roofers use a roof ladder. Take pics from a secured ladder; snap up the roof, pics of any c/stacks, and the fascia and guttering from above and below. Also pics of the window frame.Note if the u/felt ends just above the gutter.

Dont do anything yet, and yes, water can track across a roof from anywhere

 

[JonnyRotten]

I took some photos today using a tripod out of my window. I tore off some of the wall paper where it was water damaged. It look as if there is some sort of repair on the roof. Perhaps this is where the water could be coming in?

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• JonnyRotten
• 19 Nov 2011
• 1

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• JonnyRotten
• 19 Nov 2011
• 1

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• JonnyRotten
• 19 Nov 2011
• 1

I have a velux type window in the slated part of the roof that I can access from my loft. So I had planned to anchor myself in the loft to a beam.

 

[Alastairreid]

Needs a new roof Jonny.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

As Alastair said, the roof needs renewing, I expect when the facias were redone they made the leak worse, they have cut the green mineral trims to fit the facias and fit alloy trims over to tidy it up.
Did they remove the existing facias, or just cappit board over the rotten ones.
Where does all the water run of, cant see any gutters.

 

[tim00]

Sorry, i misunderstood your post description, i thought that you were referring to a pitched roof. There's no need for elaborate anchoring arrangements on a flat roof, nor is there any reason for you to go on the flat roof. As Alastair and cotswold have said you require a new flat roof with professional attention to the detailing.
I would suggest a scaffold because when that roof is stripped it's possible that further damage and repairs will be necessary to the joisting and the elevations at the fascia/window areas.
You must have proper drainage, typically, to guttering, hence there must be correct falls to drainage.
Dont attempt any DIY repairs, you will only be transferring the problems to another place.
Perhaps you will come back here and report with pics work in progress and fished - this is a site of DIY record and your "journey" could help other householders.

 

[JonnyRotten]

I was under the impression that this was a DIY forum? Didn't think the answer from you guys would be to hire a professional?!?!

But thanks for the advice, I'm sure you are all correct. I just thought that I could go up there and put some Roof seal on there.

There are no gutters on the flat part of my roof for some reason.

I'll let you know how it goes with the roofers....

 

[redfrag]

I was under the impression that this was a DIY forum? Didn't think the answer from you guys would be to hire a professional?!?!

But thanks for the advice, I'm sure you are all correct. I just thought that I could go up there and put some Roof seal on there.

There are no gutters on the flat part of my roof for some reason.

I'll let you know how it goes with the roofers....

You'll probably find most the people on here that try to give advise are cowboy builders seaking advice and work them selves

I would suggest if your like me and confident enough to have a go then do a little more research, get a decent damp detector, a tarpoline and rope and have a go, worst case is you'll have to get the prof's in anyway and there's "nothing" out there that can't be fixed and you may save money in the long run as you will save labour costs by identifing the issue yourself.

However if you don't have the confidence then find a builder/roofer that doesn't mind you working along side to save money and pickup experiance, any proper tradesmen should be fine with it as they have nothing to hide

 

[Alastairreid]

And it took you 8 months to think up that drivel!

 

[Nige F]

Took a week from when he joined He`s so pretty , oh so pretty ............ Took me 2 minutes to write that

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

2 minutes? That's seriously slow at typing Nige?

 

[libby lou lou]

Not a builder, what is a damp detector? How do they work, how about the cost. Do they detect damp?