The joint where your chimney meets your roof is the most common point of failure for leaks. We install custom-fabricated lead flashings, including:

• Lead Aprons: To shed water away from the front of the chimney.
• Step Flashings: To secure the sides of the stack against driving rain.
• Back Gutters: To prevent water pooling behind the chimney.

Roof valleys—where two roof slopes meet—handle a high volume of water. We install high-grade milled lead valleys that allow for thermal expansion and contraction, preventing the cracks and splits common in inferior mortar or plastic alternatives.

For small flat roofs, bay windows, and dormer tops, lead is unrivaled. A correctly installed Code 5 or Code 6 lead roof can last over 100 years, making it one of the most sustainable and cost-effective roofing materials available.

Working in tandem with your tiles or slates, we install lead soakers to create an invisible, watertight seal at abutments, finished with a professional cover flashing dressed into the brickwork.

Lead is a specialist material that requires precise "bossing" and welding. Poorly installed lead can "cockle" or crack under heat. When you choose Atlantic Renewables, you benefit from:

• Longevity: Lead outlasts almost all other roofing materials.
• Malleability: It can be dressed to follow the specific contours of your masonry.
• Recyclability: Lead is one of the most recycled building materials in the UK.
• Value: A professionally leaded chimney or valley adds significant "surveyor-approved" value to your property.

If you are upgrading to a solar roof, leadwork is crucial. We ensure that any penetrations for cabling or mounting brackets are professionally flashed with lead to maintain the integrity of your roof’s warranty.

Have you noticed a white, chalky powder on your tiles or staining your brickwork?

• The Cause: This is lead carbonate. While a light patina is normal, heavy white streaks mean the lead wasn’t treated with patination oil during installation.
• The Risk: Without oil, the lead "bleeds" onto your roof and thins over time, eventually leading to pinhole leaks.

If you look at your chimney or valley and see clean, vertical splits in the metal, your lead is in trouble.

• The Cause: Lead expands and contracts with the sun. If the sheets installed were too long (over 1.5m) or fixed too tightly, the metal "chokes" and cracks under thermal stress.
• The Risk: These cracks act like a funnel, directing rainwater straight into your roof timber.

Check the corners of your chimney flashings. Does the metal look paper-thin or have small holes?

• The Cause: Lead "bossing" (shaping the metal) is a craft. If the lead was stretched too thin during installation, it becomes brittle.
• The Risk: Wind-driven rain can easily penetrate these thin spots, leading to damp patches on your upstairs ceilings.

Is the lead pulling away from the brickwork or curling upward at the edges?

• The Cause: High winds can lift lead if it wasn't weighted correctly (using the right "Code" of lead) or if the copper clips have failed.
• The Risk: Once lead curls, it no longer sheds water. Instead, it catches it, allowing moisture to seep behind the flashing and into your masonry.

Look at the line where the lead enters the brickwork. Is the mortar crumbling or missing?

• The Cause: Seasonal temperature changes can cause the mortar "pointing" to crack and fall out.
• The Risk: This is the #1 cause of chimney leaks. Without a secure seal, water runs down the back of the lead apron and directly into your living room.

Leadwork isn't a DIY job—it requires a specialist's touch. Our team are experts in Code 3 to Code 8 leadwork, ensuring your repairs meet BS EN 12588 standards.