Roof Leak Water Damage in Hull

Where Hull roofs let water in

• Terraced slate roofs. Slipped or cracked slates and tired nails, especially on older terraces that have had few repairs since they were built.
• Chimney stacks. Failed lead flashing and cracked flaunching let water run down inside the stack and into the bedroom wall.
• Valley and shared gutters. Between terraced roofs and on back returns, blocked valleys overflow into the roof void in a downpour.
• Flat felt roofs on back extensions. Very common on Hull kitchens and bathrooms, and often the first thing to fail in a wet winter.

What we do

1. Make it safe. A sagging ceiling can hold a surprising weight of water. We check it and bring it down in a controlled way if needed.
2. Trace the water. Moisture readings across ceilings, walls and floors to find how far it travelled, including into cavities and floor voids.
3. Dry it. Dehumidifiers and air movers, with loft insulation lifted where it's soaked, because wet insulation stops working and holds moisture against the ceiling.
4. Record it. Photos and readings for your insurer, then repairs once everything is dry.

We deal with the water damage inside. The roof itself needs a roofer, and it should be made watertight, even temporarily, before drying starts. Drying a ceiling while rain is still coming in wastes days.

Old ceilings

Many pre-war Hull houses still have lath and plaster ceilings. They are heavier than plasterboard and can come down in large pieces once the plaster loses its key. If a lath and plaster ceiling is bulging or cracked after a leak, keep people out of the room until it's been looked at.

Insurance

Insurers treat roof leaks carefully. Damage from a storm is usually covered. Water getting in because a roof was worn out is usually treated as maintenance and excluded, though the damage the water caused inside may still be covered depending on the policy. Photos of the roof and the date of the weather help. See storm damage for how the Financial Ombudsman looks at storm claims.

To see what a leak like this usually costs to put right, and what you'd pay after your excess, use our water damage cost estimator.