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How to fix roof leaking into eaves?

So,

I have had this issue for over 12 months now. I have replaced some obvious shonky tiles 12 months ago but when it rains hard, as it did last night, this happens. I have been on a ladder to check for tile damage but as usual they all look good. The area in question is from the left of the bedroom window to the front door. That whole area of eaves has bubbling. I know water can track etc but what is the best method to at least try to determine where this is coming in?! Looks like multiple areas as its over a wide area.

I have bought a thermal camera thinking this might help but given the proximity to the edge of the house it is difficult to obtain a "reading" from up above i the crawl space, I was hoping for a temp differential where water soaks into the wood. I have yet to try TBH but that was an idea I had. Hose is another one but this hasn't yielded results in the past, perhaps another shot with my son spraying and me on the inside? Any thoughts on this please! Driving me nuts!

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EricL

Hello @geoff_70

Thank you for sharing your question about your tiled roof. I had a really good look at the photo of your tiled roof and can clearly see some of the tiles misaligned. Some parts are lifted and this lifted section is like an avenue where water can clearly flow through. You'll also notice that the damage is very localized in that section alone. It does not flow past the other sheets so its safe to conclude that the area above is the source of the leak. It only takes one misaligned tile to allow rainwater to come through.

I propose using a spirit level on the roof and putting it over the roof tiles. You will be able to tell which tile is sticking out too high and that it needs to be re-seated. There are suppose to be no gaps or high sections when the tiles meet together. They should cleanly interlock together and no gaps or high sections should appear.

Please note that working at height is dangerous, please take all necessary safety precautions when working on your proof. This includes using a roof harness and scaffolding.

If you don't have the proper safety gear, I suggest engaging the services of a roofing specialist who can safely assess and repair your roof tile leak. Using a professional means that it will have a professional finish and is covered under the warranty of the trade's person.

If you are using a ladder, I suggest having a look at this guide - How to use ladders safely by @Adam_W.

Let me call on our experienced members @Nailbag and @Dave-1 for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

geoff_70

Hello Eric,

Thanks for this. I Have Gutter Guard or leaf guard or some such aluminium mesh which works a treat but yes it might just be contributing to this issue, that said this issue was present prior to the install of the mesh. Good tip on the level, I will, when it's drier take a look.

Nailbag

Hi @geoff_70

As someone who has to deal with the issues surrounding gutter guard, I'm dead against these products. They may prevent leaves falling in but don't prevent the debris. This over time turns to thick mud causing foliage growth and adds significant weight often causing water flow direction issues. When these products are installed, most people think they can forget about their gutters, Check the photos below from a house I had to gutter clean a few months back. This took 4-5hrs to clean and it was only a unit.

I would get a leak detection company in to check this as it appears quite serious. They have thermal imagery cameras and other detectors far more sensitive to what your can buy off the shelf. They will run water and track where the water is travelling from and to. From there you can repair the issue and then best bet would be to replace the eve sheets. This will be the easier solution than repair.

Nailbag

Dave-1

Morning @geoff_70

Looking at your roof I couldnt quiet see the missaligned tiles that @EricL mentioned. Tho there seems to be a overall dip to the left. Not sure if its the way the photo was taken and its an optical illusion :)

Have the tiles seated correctly as @EricL has described should stop any water issue. Should is the word. Using a long level (or a level with a long straight piece of timber) will help show up any dips/rises in the roofing

I am not a fain of gutterguard for the same reason that @Nailbag has mentioned.

Dave

geoff_70

Hello all,

Thanks for the replies. My gutterguard is only new and I do run the hose down to flush debris once in a while. That gutter must get a tonne of run-off with dirt etc and seems crazy! I do inspect all my gutters every few months, chucking the drone up there helps to inspect. As for replacing the eaves, they are asbestos and as you all know replacing them would be non-trivial, I got a quote 2-3 years ago to replace the gutters and it was 10-20k at least let alone the asbestos/eaves. In the first instance I will try to flatten out the tiles, it is somewhat weird its only in that spot, which I am thankful for. I will go slow but thanks all, failing that I will engage someone to thermally inspect etc.

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