Roof Renewal and Leadwork in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

New breathable membrane and battens going on in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

When a roof needs more than a few slipped tiles, you want it opened up and put right underneath, not patched on top. On this home in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, the team opened up sections of the roof to the rafters, fitted new timbers, laid a new breathable membrane and battens, fitted new lead around the chimney and re-laid the tiles. Here's the work in photos, from the strip-out to the tiles going back on around the new lead. It's the kind of work the team does alongside roof repairs in Dublin.

Opening up the roof

With the tiles lifted, you can see what your roof really rests on: the felt, the battens and the rafters. On this roof, sections were opened right down to the rafters, the old felt and battens were stripped, and new timbers were fitted among the existing ones.

New breathable membrane and battens

Over the timbers, the team laid a Fakro Eurotop N35 breathable roofing membrane and fixed new timber battens to carry the tiles. A breathable membrane keeps wind-driven rain out of the roof space while letting moisture vapour escape, which helps keep your roof timbers dry.

Re-felting like this is part of our new roofs and re-felting work.

New lead around the chimney

Where a roof meets a chimney is a common place for leaks. Here, the team fitted new lead around the rendered chimney stack, with an apron at the front, lead-lined gutters down the sides and a back gutter behind it, so rain is carried around the chimney and back onto the tiles. The cracked render on the chimney, just above the new lead, was repaired too.

See our chimney repairs and leadwork page for more on this kind of work.

What the work involved

• Sections of the roof opened up to the rafters.
• New timbers fitted among the existing rafters.
• Old felt and battens stripped from the opened areas.
• New Fakro Eurotop N35 breathable membrane laid.
• New timber battens fixed.
• New lead apron at the front of the chimney.
• New lead-lined gutters along the sides of the chimney.
• New lead back gutter behind the chimney.
• Cracked chimney render above the new lead repaired.
• Concrete interlocking tiles re-laid around the new leadwork.

Materials used

• Fakro Eurotop N35 breathable roofing membrane
• New timber battens
• New roof timbers
• Lead for the chimney apron, side gutters and back gutter
• Concrete interlocking roof tiles

The result

With the concrete tiles re-laid, the new lead is dressed over them: an apron at the front, gutters down the sides and a back gutter behind the stack, carrying water around the chimney and onto the tiles. Underneath, the roof now has new timbers where they were needed, a breathable membrane and new battens.

Roof renewal questions

What does a breathable roof membrane do?

It sits under the battens and tiles as your roof's second line of defence. It keeps out wind-driven rain that gets past the tiles, while letting moisture vapour from the house escape, which helps keep the roof timbers dry and reduces the risk of condensation in the attic.

Why does the lead around a chimney matter?

The joint between a chimney and the roof is a common spot for leaks. Lead flashings and gutters, with an apron at the front, flashings or gutters down the sides and a back gutter behind the stack, carry rain around the chimney and back onto the tiles. If you notice damp on the chimney breast or ceiling near the chimney, it's worth having the lead checked.

Can roof tiles be re-used when a roof is opened up?

Often, yes. Sound concrete interlocking tiles can usually be lifted, stacked and re-laid on new battens, with any cracked or damaged ones replaced. The team will tell you honestly whether your tiles are worth keeping.

More from Dublin 4

The team works across Ballsbridge, Sandymount, Ringsend and the rest of Dublin 4. See our roofers in Ballsbridge page.

Worried about your roof or chimney lead?

Book a no-obligation roof inspection and the team will tell you honestly what your roof needs. Rated 4.9 from 28 Google reviews.

About Haven Roof Specialists

Haven Roof Specialists is a Dublin roofing company doing quick, efficient roofing jobs for homeowners across Dublin city and county.