Roof Leak Repair & Leak Detection

Regular maintenance – gutter cleaning and removal of debris from the roof – should be carried out to ensure leaves and debris don’t build up.

Blocked gutters can result in a back flow of water under the eaves and into the building or overflowing and damaging the surrounding structure. Debris left in gutters or on roofs will also lead to the development and then acceleration of rust.

At the most severe end of the scale, structural timbers can deteriorate to the point of collapse though this is, of course, an extreme outcome. More commonly, we see rotted fascia boards resulting from long-term gutter leaks, as well as internal damage such as stained plaster and mould growth caused by neglected roof, chimney, or gutter leaks.

In our experience the number one cause of roof leaks in Melbourne is box gutter leaks. Why box gutters? Frequently they’re installed undersized and/or without overflows and sumps. This means they don’t meet the regulatory framework.

Insurers are increasingly refusing to reinsure buildings with this type of issue until they are brought back up to current Plumbing Standard AS/NZS 3500.3.

Roof leaks are commonly found through poorly sealed penetrations including flues and air conditioning pipes, deteriorated roof screws, poorly installed box gutters and sumps, and around chimneys.