In article ,
Robin writes:
On 30/08/2016 11:19, wrote:
A friend has a leak through her roof. It is a 3-storey "town house" and access is difficult, so we have not seen the source of the leak. She has received an estimate from the only roofer who turned up. The estimate states that a weld on the leadwork has failed, so the leadwork will be resealed and the whole area covered with bitumen (or as the roofer puts it, "bitchman"). I've never heard of bitumen (or "bitchman") being applied over leadwork, and it seems to me that once the bitumen is applied there will be no way of telling whether the leadwork has been sealed properly, or at all.
Would anyone like to advise or comment, please?


Is it possible there's some confusion about the proposed repair between:

a. welding the lead - the "proper job" but one which requires more skill
(far more than I've got - bearing in mind rooves burn!); and

b. hammering the lead flat and then covering it with bitumen backed
flashband, with paint over that - the cheap job but not going to last?

If the diagnosis is correct (it sounds plausible), then she needs
a plumber in the traditional sense of the word (lead worker), rather
than someone who only knows how to lever the top of a tin of bitumen,
as probably no bitumen is required.

Some roofers can do this sort of plumbing, some engage a plumber
especially for the leadwork (and some just open a can of bitumen,
or use flashband, both of which are to be avoided).

Lead typically has a life of around 70 years on roofs, and fails
where repeated heating and cooling cycles in the sun cause it to
crease, and fracture in cold weather, particularly larger pieces.
(Fortunately, warm weather anneals it, or its life would be much
less.) It is likely to need redressing into brickwork a couple of
times over this period though, which again is due to movement when
being heated and cooled.

--
Andrew Gabriel
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