Chimney & Lead Flashing Repairs in Ely
Leaking Stacks, Failed Lead Flashing, Cracked Flaunching & Crumbling Pointing - Repaired Properly by Local Roofers
Chimney Repairs in Ely - Stopping the Leak at Its Source
A chimney is one of the most exposed parts of any roof, and it is one of the most common places for water to find a way in. If you have a damp patch on a chimney breast or a stain on the ceiling near the stack, the cause is usually the joint between the brickwork and the roof rather than the roof covering itself.
At Ely Roofing we repair chimney stacks across Ely and the surrounding villages. We work on older brick stacks on period properties as well as modern rendered chimneys, and we will always tell you honestly whether a repair will do the job or whether a rebuild is the sensible option.
Common Chimney Problems We Fix
Most chimney leaks come down to one of a handful of faults. These are the ones we are called out to most often.
Failed or Lifted Lead Flashing
This is the single most common cause of a leaking chimney. Lead flashing seals the joint where the stack meets the roof. Over time the pointing holding it into the brickwork erodes, the lead lifts, and water runs straight down the inside of the stack. We renew stepped and apron flashings in code-appropriate lead and re-bed them properly rather than sealing over the top of a failing joint.
Cracked or Missing Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar weathering on top of the stack that holds the pots in place and throws water clear. Once it cracks, water soaks straight down into the brickwork and the pots can work loose. We cut out the old flaunching and re-form it.
Eroded Pointing and Spalled Brickwork
Chimneys take more weather than any other part of the building. Soft or missing mortar joints let water in and frost then breaks the face off the bricks. We repoint stacks with a mortar mix suited to the brick, and replace spalled bricks where the damage has gone too far.
Damp Patches on Chimney Breasts
Staining on an internal chimney breast is almost always water getting in at roof level. We trace it back to the actual entry point rather than guessing, so you are not paying to fix something that was never the problem.
Leaning or Unstable Stacks
Sulphate attack and long-term saturation can push a stack out of true. A leaning chimney is a safety issue, not just a maintenance one. We will assess whether it can be repaired in situ or needs taking down and rebuilding.
Redundant Chimneys
If a chimney is no longer in use, it can be capped and vented to keep it weathertight, or removed and the roof made good. Both are straightforward jobs when they are done properly, and both stop an unused stack becoming a long-term damp problem.
Chimney Leaking in Heavy Rain? Get It Looked At Before It Gets Worse
A failed flashing costs a fraction of what it costs to put right the damp, plaster and timber damage it causes if it is left.
What Affects the Cost of Chimney Repairs?
Chimney work is priced job by job, because two stacks that look similar from the ground can need very different work. Rather than quote a figure that turns out to be meaningless, here is what actually moves the price:
Access
Whether the stack can be reached safely from a tower or roof ladder, or needs scaffolding, is usually the biggest single factor. A mid-terrace stack in the middle of a roof costs more to reach than a gable-end one.
Extent of the Work
Renewing an apron flashing is a different job from repointing a full stack or rebuilding above the roofline. We will tell you which one you are looking at before any work starts.
Materials
Lead is priced by code and weight, and the right code for the detail matters. Matching brick and mortar on an older property takes more care than a modern stack.
Condition Underneath
Occasionally a stack looks like a pointing job until the flashing comes off. We will always come back to you before doing anything that changes the price.
Every quote is free, written and given after we have actually looked at the chimney. If a repair is not worth doing, we will say so.
Why Choose Ely Roofing for Chimney Work in Ely?
Chimney repairs sit at the point where roofing and brickwork meet, and plenty of trades will do one half of the job well and the other badly. We do both. We work at height every day, we use the right lead codes and mortar mixes rather than whatever is in the van, and we finish the roof covering back around the stack properly so the repair lasts.
We also cover the rest of the roof, so if the chimney turns out not to be the source of your leak we can put right whatever is, from roof repairs and ridge repointing through to guttering and flat roofing.