Ely Roofers carries out flat roof repairs and installations in Upwell, and this page explains what you can safely do to protect your home while you wait for professional help, and what to leave alone.
A flat roof that starts leaking does not always fail dramatically. Often it is a damp patch on the ceiling, a discoloured area of plaster, or a drip that appears only when it rains heavily. The temptation is to act immediately, either by going up on the roof yourself or by calling the first number you find. Neither of those responses is always the right one.
This page is for homeowners in Upwell who have discovered a problem with a flat roof and are waiting for a roofer to attend. It covers what you can safely do to limit damage in the short term, what you should not attempt yourself, and what information to have ready when the contractor arrives.
If water is coming through a ceiling, your first job is indoors, not on the roof. Place a container under any active drip and protect flooring and furniture in the affected area. If water is pooling in a ceiling void and the ceiling is bulging, the water needs somewhere to go before the weight brings plaster down. Make a small, controlled hole in the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver, aiming into your container. This sounds counterintuitive but it prevents a larger, uncontrolled collapse.
Move anything that can be moved away from the area. Water that comes through a ceiling often runs along joists before it drips, so the drip point may be some distance from where the roof is actually leaking. Note the location of the drip on the ceiling and try to identify which part of the flat roof sits above it - that information helps the contractor narrow down where to look first.
If the outlet or drainage grille is visibly blocked with leaves or debris and you can reach it safely without stepping across the roof surface, clearing it may slow or stop pooling. Standing water on a flat roof is one of the main causes of leaks pushing through faster, so getting water moving again is a reasonable temporary measure.
If you have roofing repair tape at home and there is an obvious, visible split or open seam that you can reach without walking far onto the roof surface, taping over it temporarily can reduce the amount of water getting in. Press it firmly to a dry, clean surface. This will not last indefinitely, and it is not a repair, but it can help while you wait.
That is broadly the limit of what is safe and sensible to do yourself. The risks of doing more are real.
Do not walk across a flat roof if you do not know whether the deck beneath is sound. An old or wet deck can give way underfoot, and a fall through a garage or extension roof is a serious injury. Felt surfaces are also slippery when wet. If you must go on the roof, use a proper ladder, secured at the top, and step carefully at the edge only.
Do not apply silicone sealant, household mastic or expanding foam to a roof membrane or flashing. These products do not bond reliably to roofing materials in outdoor conditions and they make the subsequent repair harder for the contractor because the surface has to be cleaned back before anything proper can go on. In some cases, they can hold moisture against a surface and make things worse.
Do not apply bitumen paint to an area that is wet or has standing water on it. It will not adhere and you will have wasted the product without slowing the leak at all.
Do not attempt to re-dress a flashing that has lifted away from the wall using anything other than the correct materials. Lead flashings need specific tools and technique; flashing tapes require a clean, prepared surface to bond. A poorly re-fixed flashing can look intact from the ground while still allowing water behind it at every joint.
If rain is forecast and you are waiting several days for a contractor, covering the affected area with a heavy-duty polythene sheet or tarpaulin is a reasonable measure. Secure it at the edges - bricks, sandbags or rope tied to chimney stacks or fixings at the wall, not tied to guttering, which is not designed to take that load. Make sure the tarp covers past the edges of the roof surface and is not creating a dam that pools water in a new place. A tarp that lifts in wind can do its own damage, so secure it properly or accept that it may need re-fixing after bad weather.
When you call to book a survey, being able to answer the following questions speeds things up:
You do not need all of these answers; any information you have is useful. The more context you can give, the better the contractor can estimate what they are coming to look at.
A proper assessment starts on the roof. The contractor should check the whole surface, not just the area above the internal drip, because water travels. The outlet, all flashings, the upstands at the wall junctions, and the membrane condition across the full area all need to be looked at. The deck should be tested for soft spots by walking it carefully and pressing at suspect areas.
Once the inspection is done, you should receive a clear explanation of what has failed and why, and a recommendation that is either a targeted repair or a full replacement, with reasons. If a contractor recommends replacement on a roof that is only a few years old without being able to show you why, ask for more detail.
For a small repair - a localised blister, a lifted flashing, a cracked seam - expect costs broadly in the range of £150 to £500. A full replacement on a standard garage or extension roof of 15-40 square metres generally runs from around £800 to £2,500 or more depending on the system, size and deck condition. These are general UK figures and individual jobs will vary.
If the assessment leads to a recommendation for a full replacement, the two main systems to consider are mineral felt and EPDM rubber. Felt is a multi-layer, bonded system. EPDM is a single-ply rubber membrane that can cover large areas with fewer seams. Both are well-established and appropriate for extensions and garages. The right choice depends on the size and shape of your roof and what the deck below can support.
We work in Upwell and the surrounding area. If your flat roof is leaking and you need someone to come and look at it, call us to book a roof survey and we will give you a straight assessment of the problem and a price for fixing it properly.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
