24 Mar When should lead roofing be replaced?
Most buildings that have been erected in the past 100 years will have some form of lead sheet installed.
Lead is widely used in roofing because it’s an abundant and cost-effective materials that’s water resistant and highly durable. However, prolonged period of exposure to the elements can affect the performance of lead. If your lead roofing is looking a little tired, you may be wondering when lead roofing should be replaced.
The answer to your question, when should lead roofing be replaced, depends on the condition of the lead. Lead is well-known for outliving the life-span of buildings with little to no drop in performance after 200 years. However, the life-span of lead roofing can be reduced due to poor installation and fitment. As a general rule, if your lead roofing, cladding or flashings are in mostly good condition, your roof will require spot maintenance – the process of carrying out appropriate repairs. It’s very rare to need a whole new lead roof, even in cases where the roof looks to be in a complete state of disrepair.
Repairing lead roofing
When repairing lead roofing, a roofer may use new lead sheet and carefully weld is over any split or cracks. This is a cost-effective way to repair tired lead. We and other roofers often find that the cause of lead roofing failure is due to the roll ends, which haven’t been secured effectively. In this instance, a new pre-fabricated roll will need to be installed. Another common cause is an element out of our control – thermal movement. A good roofer will account for any linear movement upon installation, but bad roofers will not and cut corners.
The cost of repairing lead roofing depends on the scale of repairs needed. Spot lead roofing repairs will not cost you very much at all, however as to be expected, the larger the repairs needed the more it will cost you. The good news is that the larger the job, the less the raw materials (lead) will cost you. Labour will, however, remain the same, unless you can strike a deal with the roofing company you get in touch with.
How long should lead roofing last?
Generally, you can expect professionally installed lead roofing to last the lifetime of your home or business premises, but it’s essential that any lead roofing repairs are carried out by a competent and experience roofing company, such as Roundhay Roofing.
Choosing a lead roofing company
This is where things get easy – you should only go with a company that’s experienced in repairing and replacing lead roofing. At Roundhay Roofing, we have more than 30 years’ experience and thousands of happy customers in Leeds and its surrounding areas. If you require the service of a friendly, transparent roofing company, you can trust Roundhay Roofing to do you proud. Contact us or give us a call on 0113 293 4038 today to find out more about how we can help you with your lead roofing.
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