When it comes to keeping a roof watertight at its most vulnerable junctions, lead is the material that does the job - and Fakenham Roofers carry out lead flashing, valleys, soakers and lead-lined gutters for homeowners in Sheringham and across North Norfolk.
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Lead is not the only material used at roof junctions, and it's worth understanding what the alternatives are - and why lead remains the standard choice for most work on houses in and around Sheringham. This page sets out the main options honestly, with the practical pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed decision rather than just taking a roofer's word for it.
When choosing a roofer, it's reasonable to ask which British Standard they work to for milled lead sheet, such as BS EN 12588. That standard governs the composition, thickness and tolerances of milled lead sheet. It's the benchmark a roofer should be able to reference if you ask.
Milled lead sheet is the traditional and most widely used material for flashings, valleys, soakers and gutters on domestic roofs. It has been used on buildings across Britain for centuries, and for good reason.
Lead sheet is sold in codes numbered 3 to 8, where the number corresponds to the weight and thickness. Choosing the right code matters. Using too light a code in an exposed or high-movement location means the lead thins and cracks prematurely. Using too heavy a code where it isn't needed adds unnecessary cost without benefit.
A roofer who can't tell you which code they're using and why is not someone you want working with lead on your roof.
Pre-formed aluminium flashings with a lead-like appearance are sold as a quicker, lighter alternative. They come in rolls and are easier to handle than lead sheet.
Pros: Faster to install on straightforward details, lower material cost, lighter weight.
Cons: They cannot be dressed to complex profiles the way lead can. They are generally less durable at junctions that see a lot of movement. On older or more complex buildings in and around Sheringham - particularly any that fall within a conservation area - they are unlikely to be acceptable. They are also not suitable for valleys or gutters where a robust, load-bearing lining is needed.
Some roofers use a hybrid approach for plain tile or natural slate roofs: individual lead soakers (the short pieces that sit under each tile course at a junction) combined with a mortar fillet rather than a separate cover flashing. This is less common now because mortar fillets crack and allow water in as buildings move. A proper soaker-and-flashing combination is the correct detail for most situations.
Zinc sheet is used on some higher-end roofing projects and is more common in parts of Continental Europe. It can be worked to complex profiles like lead, and it has a distinctive grey finish that weathers attractively.
Pros: Long service life, can be formed to complex shapes, lighter than lead.
Cons: More expensive than lead in most cases, requires specialist knowledge to install correctly, and is not compatible with some common building materials (copper fixings, for example, cause galvanic corrosion). It is not the standard choice for repair and maintenance work on existing domestic roofs, where matching the existing lead is usually the right approach.
EPDM rubber is primarily a flat roofing membrane material, but strip versions are occasionally used in place of traditional flashings. It is not a like-for-like substitute for lead in most situations - it doesn't dress to tight profiles, and at junctions with masonry it relies heavily on adhesive bonds that deteriorate over time. It has its place on flat roofs as an upstand material, but it is not a general alternative to lead sheet for pitched roof flashings and valleys.
Sealant is not a material choice - it is a temporary repair. Silicone, mastic and bitumen-based products applied over failing lead are stopgap measures that delay proper work. They fail relatively quickly, particularly through freeze-thaw cycles, and they can make a subsequent proper repair harder by contaminating the lead surface. If a roofer's first suggestion is to seal over a failing flashing, ask why replacement or re-bedding isn't being recommended instead.
The decision between repairing existing lead and replacing it entirely depends on the condition of the lead itself. If the lead is the correct code, has been properly installed and is structurally sound but has simply lifted at a mortar joint or been displaced by movement in the masonry, re-fixing and re-pointing is sensible. If the lead is cracked, heavily corroded, an incorrect code for the location, or was poorly installed in the first place (too long bays, no soakers where they should be, sealant in place of proper laps), replacement gives better long-term value.
Age alone is not necessarily a reason to replace. Well-maintained lead in a sheltered position can outlast several cycles of tile replacement. On the other hand, lead on an exposed chimney stack that's been patched repeatedly with sealant is probably overdue full replacement even if it isn't old.
The types of job we take on include chimney flashings, dormer cheek and head flashings, valley linings, soaker systems, parapet and box gutters lined in lead, and abutment flashings where a lower roof meets a main wall.
Where work is on or near a listed building or a property in a conservation area, lead is almost always the required material - conservation officers and planning rules are consistently clear on that. If you're unsure whether your property is affected, your local planning authority can confirm it.
Before agreeing to any lead work, it's reasonable to ask:
A roofer who gives clear answers to those questions is one who knows the work. Call us to discuss your lead work in Sheringham - we'll give you a straight assessment and a clear quote.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
