HomeChimneys & Leadwork
Chimney repairs and leadwork in Croydon
Chimney repairs, re-pointing and lead flashing from a local roofer in Shirley. We come out, look at the chimney and give you a free quote.
Chimney repairs in Croydon
A chimney takes the weather from every side. Over the years the mortar washes out of the joints, and water gets into the brickwork and down into the house. We re-point chimney stacks and repair the brickwork, with scaffolding where it is needed. R T had us re-point their chimneys.
Finding where a chimney lets water in
Damp on a chimney breast, a stain on the ceiling beside it or water in the fireplace can start in several places. We look at the pointing and the bricks of the stack, the flaunching, which is the sloping mortar cap round the pots on top, the pots themselves, and the flashing where the stack comes through the roof. A chimney that is no longer used can also let rain straight down the flue if its top is open. When the source is clear, that is what we quote to fix.
What re-pointing involves
Re-pointing means raking out the old, crumbling mortar from between the bricks and filling the joints with fresh mortar, pressed in firmly and finished so that it sheds water. On a stack, the top few courses and the flaunching take the worst of the weather, so they usually need the most attention. Bricks whose faces have blown off in the frost can be cut out and replaced.
What is included
- Chimney re-pointing
- Chimney stack repairs
- Lead flashing round chimneys
- Old concrete flashing replaced with lead
- Lead valleys
- Lead where a roof meets a wall
- Scaffolding where the chimney needs it
- Old lead, rubble and all our waste taken away
- A free quote after we have seen it
Lead flashing
Lead flashing seals the joint where the roof meets a chimney or a wall. When it cracks or lifts, or was never lead in the first place, that is where the leak comes from. R T had their old concrete flashing replaced with lead, and Terry McDonald had the lead round his chimney replaced and the chimney pointed. Mortar fillets and concrete flashings tend to crack as the roof and the stack move against each other, which is why lead is used instead: it can be shaped to the brickwork and moves without breaking. On a plain tile roof the flashing round a stack is usually several pieces: an apron over the tiles at the front, small lead soakers under the tiles up each side with a stepped flashing over them, its top edge tucked into the mortar joints, and a back gutter behind the stack to carry water round it. Lead sheet is sold by code, and the code number broadly reflects its thickness. As a general guide, code 4 is common for flashings and code 5 for heavier work such as back gutters and valleys.
“Reme is reasonably priced, efficient and a pleasant person to work with.”
GoogleLeadwork where a roof meets a wall
Where a roof runs up against a wall or a dormer, the joint is sealed with lead. We fit new lead there too, on tiled and slate roofs.
More about chimneys and leadwork
Lead valleys
A valley is where two roof slopes meet, and it carries a lot of water. We line valleys with new lead, like the slate roof in the photos on this page. The lead is laid on boards down the join, with the tiles or slates cut to sit over its edges. Old valleys tend to fail where the lead has split, worn thin or been laid in lengths too long to move with the heat, or where leaves and moss have built up and pushed water over the side.
Signs, timing and scaffolding
Watch for bits of mortar on the path or in the gutter, plants growing out of the joints, a stack that has started to lean, lead that has lifted or come out of its joint, and damp on the chimney breast after rain. Left alone, water works into the brickwork, frost breaks up the faces of the bricks, and a stack that leans badly can become unsafe. Most stacks need a scaffold round them with a platform at the top, and we arrange that as part of the job. Once it is up, re-pointing or re-flashing a single stack is often a day or two of work, weather permitting, while a tall stack or a pair takes longer.
What is included
- Chimney re-pointing
- Chimney stack repairs
- Lead flashing round chimneys
- Old concrete flashing replaced with lead
- Lead valleys
- Lead where a roof meets a wall
- Scaffolding where the chimney needs it
- Old lead, rubble and all our waste taken away
- A free quote after we have seen it
Some of our work
What customers say
In their own words, from our Google reviews. Read more reviews.
“Reme replaced a flat roof. We called him back to repointed our chimneys, replaced the concrete flashing with lead and replaced our gutter and downpipe and cap our fascia . All work done very well. Reme is reasonably priced, efficient and a pleasant person to work with.”
R TFlat roof, chimneys, lead, gutter and fascia2024 Google“Remy has done 2 jobs for me recently, Repairs to my roof has stopped a damp problem, and replaced the lead round my chimney, and pointed it, Reasonably priced,punctual and courteous, would highly recommend to others, thanks again Remy”
Terry McDonaldRoof repair, chimney lead and pointing2024 Google
Common questions about chimneys and leadwork
Why is my chimney leaking?
Most often it is the flashing where the chimney meets the roof, or mortar washed out of the stack. We get up, find which, and quote you for the fix.
Can you replace concrete flashing with lead?
Yes. R T had their old concrete flashing replaced with lead.
Do you re-point chimneys?
Yes. R T and Terry McDonald both had chimneys pointed by us.
Do you need scaffolding for a chimney?
Often, yes. We arrange it, and tell you when we quote.
How much does a chimney repair cost?
It depends on the height of the chimney, how we get to it and what needs doing, so we do not guess from a photo. We come out, look at it, and give you a free quote.
What is the mortar round the chimney pots for?
That is the flaunching. It holds the pots in place and slopes away from them so rain runs off the top of the stack. When it cracks, water gets into the stack from above, and loose pots can become a hazard. It is worth checking whenever the stack is being worked on.
Does someone have to be home during chimney work?
Not for most of it, as the work is done outside from the scaffold. If damp is showing indoors, it helps to show us where before we start, and to let us look in the loft round the stack.
Do you clear up after chimney work?
Yes. Old lead, broken concrete flashing, raked out mortar and any damaged bricks are cleared away when the work is finished.
Got a roof that needs looking at?
Tell us what is going on and we will come out and look. The quote is free.
- A free quote, after we have seen the roof
- Five stars in all 18 of our Google reviews
- Based in Shirley, Croydon
- Open 7am to 7pm
Rather talk it through?
Tell us what is going on and Reme will come out and look at the roof. The quote is free.