Brandon Roofers fits new pitched roofs in Santon Downham and looks after homeowners long after the job is done, because the right aftercare is what keeps a good roof performing for decades.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A well-installed new roof on a property in Santon Downham should need very little attention for many years. But it is not maintenance-free. A small amount of regular attention from ground level, and occasional professional checks at key intervals, can catch minor problems before they turn into expensive ones. This page covers what a new roof installation involves, and then goes into detail on the aftercare that makes the difference between a roof that lasts and one that causes trouble within ten years.
A new pitched roof starts with stripping the old covering back to the rafters. Before anything new goes on, the timber structure is checked for rot, sagging or broken timbers and anything unsound is replaced. Breathable roofing membrane or good-quality felt is laid, treated timber battens are fixed, and tiles or slates are nailed or clipped to the correct specification for the roof pitch. Lead flashings are dressed at chimneys, walls and abutments. Ridge and verge details are finished, either with mortar or with dry-fix systems that eliminate the cracking and lifting that pointed mortar eventually suffers.
We install clay tiles, concrete tiles and natural slate across Santon Downham and the surrounding area, covering Brandon, Weeting, Mundford, Thetford, Elveden, Croxton and the villages nearby. The material we recommend depends on the property, the existing character of the roof, and the budget.
A new roof goes through a settling-in period. Mortar-bedded ridge and hip tiles need time to cure fully, and in the first winter there is a small chance that frost can affect fresh pointing if it was laid close to cold weather. This is worth knowing, not to cause alarm, but because it is useful to check ridge and hip pointing in spring after the first winter. Look from the ground with binoculars if you have them. What you are looking for is any cracking or lifting of the mortar, or any tiles that appear to have shifted. If anything looks wrong, call the contractor.
If the roof was fitted with a dry-fix ridge system, this settling check is less critical, because there is no mortar to crack. Dry-fix ridges are mechanically fixed and clip together, which is why more roofers and homeowners are choosing them over traditional bedded-and-pointed ridges.
Most of what goes wrong on a pitched roof is visible from ground level if you know what to look for. Once a year - autumn is a sensible time, before the worst of the winter weather - walk around the property and check the following:
Going onto a roof without proper equipment is dangerous and rarely achieves a lasting result. If you spot any of the problems listed above, the right response is to note them carefully and pass the information to a roofer, not to attempt a fix from a ladder or by stepping onto tiles. Roof tiles are not designed to be walked on without proper equipment and technique. Damaged tiles from a DIY repair attempt can void tile manufacturer recommendations and create new leak points.
A roofer with a scaffold tower or access platform can reach most standard problems safely and quickly. For isolated jobs like a handful of slipped tiles or a small area of repointing, a scaffold tower is often sufficient and is much cheaper than a full scaffold. Ask what access equipment your contractor plans to use for any particular job.
Moss on a pitched roof is one of the most common questions homeowners ask about. Moss grows on north-facing and shaded slopes, where the surface stays damp for longer. On a brand new roof it will take several years to establish. On a re-roof of an older property, moss spores can reappear within a couple of years if conditions suit them.
Moss does not damage tiles directly. What it does is retain moisture against the tile surface, which over many years can accelerate erosion of concrete tiles and encourage rot in timber battens. The bigger risk is that heavy moss growth lifts tile edges, allowing water to track beneath on a heavy roof pitch.
The correct way to deal with moss is a biocide treatment applied from ground level or from a safe working platform. This kills the moss, which then dries out and washes off in rain over the following months. Pressure washing a tiled roof is not recommended: it strips granules from concrete tiles, damages the surface of clay tiles, and forces water up under tile laps. Some contractors offer a pressure wash followed by biocide coating, but the pressure wash stage does more harm than good on most pitched roofs. A biocide treatment alone, without any abrasive cleaning, is the safer approach.
Lead flashings at chimneys and wall abutments are the most maintenance-sensitive part of a pitched roof. Lead moves with temperature changes, expanding in summer heat and contracting in cold weather. Over many years, this movement can cause the edges to lift away from the brickwork. When this happens, the fix is straightforward: a roofer will re-dress the lead and re-point the top edge into the mortar joint using lead wedges and fresh pointing. Catching a lifting flashing early, before water has been tracking in for a season, avoids the cost of ceiling repairs and any damage to roof timbers.
On a new roof with new lead, this is unlikely to be an issue for many years. But it is worth knowing so that when you do your annual ground-level check, the chimney flashings are on your list.
After a period of strong winds, repeat your ground-level check. Slipped or missing tiles and lifted ridge tiles are more likely after wind events, and a gap left in the covering even for a week or two can allow water into the roof space. If you spot damage after a storm, cover any interior areas at risk from water ingress - move furniture, use buckets, lay down plastic sheeting - and arrange for a roofer to attend as soon as possible. Do not attempt to go onto the roof yourself.
Storm damage claims are sometimes handled through home insurance, depending on your policy. Keep a clear record of when the storm occurred, what you observed from the ground, and any photographs. That information supports a claim if you need to make one.
If your property in Santon Downham needs a new roof, or if you have questions about the condition of an existing one, call Brandon Roofers. We also cover Brandon, Weeting, Thetford, Mundford, Elveden and the surrounding villages. We will give you a clear picture of the work involved and what to expect once it is done.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
