UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #2   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 145
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?


"keith" wrote in message
...
Please can someone help me with a suggestion on what to do about below?
(photos at )

We moved into a 10yr old house in Devon 3 years ago. When we've had both
strong rain AND strong wind we get leaks from the conservatory, seems to
be out of the brickwork over the house doors.
Strong rain alone is fine.
We've had the lead flashing where the house joins the conservatory roof
replaced, and it won't leak no matter how much I play a hose on it.

But if we get strong wind too (we look out over a valley) it leaks as per
the photos .

Someone suggested it's down to rain getting into the bricks and saturating
them so much the water just passes down through the bricks. I think image
534 and the shininess/dampness of the whole house face after last night
supports this?
Suggestion was to put some transparent waterproof coating on all the
bricks, or insert a drip tray in the brickwork above the conservatory.

I suppose the other options are to let the hedge grow so high as to
disrupt the wind, or get a turbine!
Thanks


I note your lead flashing extends right down onto the glass of your
conservatory. That may or may not be normal practice, I don't know, but I
would keep an eye out for how other conservatories have their lead flashing
done and compare and contrast.
My guess is that the flashing has been badly designed, and that water
streaming down your conservatory windows is channelling back up your
flashingunder conditions of driving wind. This may be because the flashing
extends down to the glass, and the wind and capillary action may drive the
water up under the flashing.

Like I said, have a look at other conservatory flashing techniques and see
if yours is some how different. If it is what I suggested the fix would
either be to cut back the flashing from contact with the glass, or seal the
contact surface between the two.

Andy.


  #3   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,175
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

In article ,
"keith" writes:
Please can someone help me with a suggestion on what to do about below?
(photos at )

We moved into a 10yr old house in Devon 3 years ago. When we've had both
strong rain AND strong wind we get leaks from the conservatory, seems to be
out of the brickwork over the house doors.
Strong rain alone is fine.
We've had the lead flashing where the house joins the conservatory roof
replaced, and it won't leak no matter how much I play a hose on it.


It looks to me like the lead has been wrongly cut to dress it into
the brickwork. The vertical cuts should slant backwards, almost at
right angles to the roof slope in this case. It's difficult to tell
from the camera angle, but some of yours look like they might even
be off-vertical and slanting the wrong way slightly. This means water
can ingress at each step in the leadwork. I bet if you play a hose on
the wall just above the leadwork, water comes through.

But if we get strong wind too (we look out over a valley) it leaks as per
the photos .


You need water teaming down the wall, so it needs to be blowing
enough to be soaking the wall under the main roof overhang.

Someone suggested it's down to rain getting into the bricks and saturating
them so much the water just passes down through the bricks. I think image
534 and the shininess/dampness of the whole house face after last night
supports this?
Suggestion was to put some transparent waterproof coating on all the bricks,
or insert a drip tray in the brickwork above the conservatory.


No, I don't think this is the cause. Even pourous bricks aren't
that porous, and if they were, they would have been destroyed by
frost already.
--
Andrew Gabriel
  #4   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,045
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
"keith" writes:
Please can someone help me with a suggestion on what to do about below?
(photos at )

We moved into a 10yr old house in Devon 3 years ago. When we've had both
strong rain AND strong wind we get leaks from the conservatory, seems to be
out of the brickwork over the house doors.
Strong rain alone is fine.
We've had the lead flashing where the house joins the conservatory roof
replaced, and it won't leak no matter how much I play a hose on it.


It looks to me like the lead has been wrongly cut to dress it into
the brickwork. The vertical cuts should slant backwards, almost at
right angles to the roof slope in this case. It's difficult to tell
from the camera angle, but some of yours look like they might even
be off-vertical and slanting the wrong way slightly. This means water
can ingress at each step in the leadwork. I bet if you play a hose on
the wall just above the leadwork, water comes through.

But if we get strong wind too (we look out over a valley) it leaks as per
the photos .


You need water teaming down the wall, so it needs to be blowing
enough to be soaking the wall under the main roof overhang.

Someone suggested it's down to rain getting into the bricks and saturating
them so much the water just passes down through the bricks. I think image
534 and the shininess/dampness of the whole house face after last night
supports this?
Suggestion was to put some transparent waterproof coating on all the bricks,
or insert a drip tray in the brickwork above the conservatory.


No, I don't think this is the cause. Even pourous bricks aren't
that porous, and if they were, they would have been destroyed by
frost already.


I agree with both responders.. flashing is done badly. It may be
possible to seal it to the bricks with an acrylic sealer and to the
glass with silicone.
  #6   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,010
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

keith wrote:
Please can someone help me with a suggestion on what to do about
below? (photos at )
We moved into a 10yr old house in Devon 3 years ago. When we've had
both strong rain AND strong wind we get leaks from the conservatory,
seems to be out of the brickwork over the house doors.
Strong rain alone is fine.
We've had the lead flashing where the house joins the conservatory
roof replaced, and it won't leak no matter how much I play a hose on
it.
But if we get strong wind too (we look out over a valley) it leaks
as per the photos .

Someone suggested it's down to rain getting into the bricks and
saturating them so much the water just passes down through the
bricks. I think image 534 and the shininess/dampness of the whole
house face after last night supports this?


No, no amount of rain will soak a brick enough for it to leak through.


Suggestion was to put some transparent waterproof coating on all the
bricks, or insert a drip tray in the brickwork above the conservatory.

I suppose the other options are to let the hedge grow so high as to
disrupt the wind, or get a turbine!
Thanks


Whoever has put the flashing on has made a pig's ear of it.... looking at
the image of the left hand side flashing,(img 0258) it doesn't even reach
the glazing bar at the top near the apex, the opposite side (img0259) is
slightly better, but that too is short at the top.
Aside from this, the entire thing is wrong, the lead flashing you can see,
which is pointed into the brickwork is only part of what should be there -
there should be another flashing running the full length which this visible
bit covers, the piece that is missing can be put in place now, but I
wouldn't use lead if I were you, use a piece of bitumen backed flashband,
about 9 inches wide, this goes at right angles, half onto the roof and half
behind the lead, you can use lead but it will need fixing to the wall
somehow, below the existing lead...there's a diagram he
http://tinypic.com/view/?pic=3zvhgk8


  #7   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

All,
Thanks for your helpful replies.
It sounds like I've been taken advantage of by the roof repair people, so
I'll know next time.
I'll either try to fix as per suggestions, or get another firm to look at
it, or see if there's a guarantee in my paperwork.

The "soaking through the bricks" theory has been shot down, so that saves me
pursuing that .

I am a bit puzzled though because we had just a flash band when we moved in,
that leaked the same way, which is why we had a professional job done. So
both roofers have made the same mistake and the fix involves using both lead
& flash band & sealant.

How do I get to the roof to seal it? - all I can think of is somehow putting
a small hook on end of a ladder and hooking it over the apex.







  #8   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 244
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?


"keith" wrote in message
...
All,
Thanks for your helpful replies.
It sounds like I've been taken advantage of by the roof repair people, so
I'll know next time.
I'll either try to fix as per suggestions, or get another firm to look at
it, or see if there's a guarantee in my paperwork.

The "soaking through the bricks" theory has been shot down, so that saves
me pursuing that .

I am a bit puzzled though because we had just a flash band when we moved
in, that leaked the same way, which is why we had a professional job done.
So both roofers have made the same mistake and the fix involves using both
lead & flash band & sealant.

How do I get to the roof to seal it? - all I can think of is somehow
putting a small hook on end of a ladder and hooking it over the apex.


While the flashing may well be poor I fear the fundamental problem is the
conservatory installation. Have a look at this....

http://www.synseal.co.uk/synseal/glo...leadflash.html

This describes the flashing fitting into a channel as I have. There is a
video but its Quicktime which I haven't got and couldn't be bothered
downloading. Also check out the Ultraframe website for ideas. There are
some tantalising glimpses of decent flashing, again dressed into the glazing
bar not over it.

For maintenance access I put a piece of chipboard flooring across the
conservatory rafters ridge to gutter and crawl very carefully. This is not
a guaranteed recommendation but an idea. Maybe support from below as well.
And I don't have lead on my wallmost glazing bar.

HTH

Jim A




  #9   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,010
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

Jim Alexander wrote:
"keith" wrote in message
...
All,
Thanks for your helpful replies.
It sounds like I've been taken advantage of by the roof repair
people, so I'll know next time.
I'll either try to fix as per suggestions, or get another firm to
look at it, or see if there's a guarantee in my paperwork.

The "soaking through the bricks" theory has been shot down, so that
saves me pursuing that .

I am a bit puzzled though because we had just a flash band when we
moved in, that leaked the same way, which is why we had a
professional job done. So both roofers have made the same mistake
and the fix involves using both lead & flash band & sealant.

How do I get to the roof to seal it? - all I can think of is somehow
putting a small hook on end of a ladder and hooking it over the apex.


While the flashing may well be poor I fear the fundamental problem is
the conservatory installation. Have a look at this....

http://www.synseal.co.uk/synseal/glo...leadflash.html

This describes the flashing fitting into a channel as I have. There
is a video but its Quicktime which I haven't got and couldn't be
bothered downloading. Also check out the Ultraframe website for
ideas. There are some tantalising glimpses of decent flashing, again
dressed into the glazing bar not over it.

For maintenance access I put a piece of chipboard flooring across the
conservatory rafters ridge to gutter and crawl very carefully. This
is not a guaranteed recommendation but an idea. Maybe support from
below as well. And I don't have lead on my wallmost glazing bar.

HTH

Jim A


The soaker bar mentioned above will probably only be available to synseal
customers and compatible with their products...in my earlier post I
mentioned using flashband or lead to create a soaker, flashband would
probably be easier now that the upper flashing is already pointed in....I
wouldn't say the conservatory itself was badly installed, it may have been
there as long as ten years, certainly more than three, probably well before
these soakerbars were thought up.


  #10   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

Thanks for helpful replies. Puzzling thing is that we only got the flashing
done because the previous (stick-on) flashing leaked...
I'll see if I can get the roofers back, or I'll try the suggestions.
Just need to work out how to get to the roof - any ideas?





  #11   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

I'll get the roofers back tomorrow, but they're still insisting that the
rain is soaking through the bricks.(Which PhilL said was impossible).

I've had a look under the lead and the original leaky stick on flashing is
still there underneath, they didn't replace it.

So if I've understood Phil L's helpful picture correctly, if they HAD done
this I might have been alright (although workmanship still seems a bit
dodgy).

Is there a web link showing how it should be done that I can use as
evidence?




  #12   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,010
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

keith wrote:
I'll get the roofers back tomorrow, but they're still insisting that
the rain is soaking through the bricks.(Which PhilL said was
impossible).

The water drives against the face of the brick - the outside face of the
brick becomes saturated (like a sponge) and the remaining water runs down
the face of the brick, it can't soak right through the brick and downwards,
the roofers are trying it on.


I've had a look under the lead and the original leaky stick on
flashing is still there underneath, they didn't replace it.

So if I've understood Phil L's helpful picture correctly, if they
HAD done this I might have been alright (although workmanship still
seems a bit dodgy).

It requires a flashing underneath this skirt that is showing now, I said use
flashband for ease, doing it properly, it should be done with lead ideally.

Is there a web link showing how it should be done that I can use as
evidence?


I think it's the glazing bar nearest to the house that's the major problem,
the wind must be blowing the water back up over the glazing bar into the
channel, they'll either have to seal this channel in or bring the flashing
further out onto the roof, thusly: http://i10.tinypic.com/2z7lfuf.jpg


  #13   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default conservatory leak - what does this look like?

Thanks for another helpful picture. It is coming in where you've suggested,
all the way along, although there is plenty of white sealant in that corner
where the inside wall meets the "ceiling", and that doesn't look wet. Maybe
a previous attempt to stop leaks?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Leak in conservatory Rob UK diy 3 October 28th 06 05:15 PM
I'm puzzled about my leaking roof. It's not leaking like a leak should leak. Daniel Cullpeppper Home Repair 10 April 30th 06 05:16 AM
Conservatory Heating Lawrence Zarb UK diy 27 November 22nd 05 12:20 PM
New conservatory CQMMAN UK diy 2 November 26th 04 07:50 PM
leaking conservatory - again! keith UK diy 12 November 1st 04 01:38 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:58 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"